I wouldn't beat yourself up over not being profound, this is a conceptual rumination and doesn't try to be anything more than conceptual which is fine. Raw concepts in story telling can sometimes be more powerful than when they are rolled up in symbolism and themes, and this is a concept that is highly relatable. Given some time, you or someone else could expand on this idea and make a story that 20 years from now could rank among like "The Pedestrian" or "A Scanner Darkly" both highly allegorical stories that tackled highly relatable issues of the time. But here and now living in the present, the concept alone, is profound.
Midnight Scenes: The Highway may not go "all the way" in terms of scares or disturbing imagery, but it's Twilight Zone aesthetic and simple puzzles make it fun and enjoyable.
LovelyHellplace´s Penitent Dead makes up for its short duration and underwelming gameplay with a sense of world building and scale that could contribute something valuble to the PSX Horror genre if expanded upon.
While some of it's story can't compete with it's stylish visuals, and the gamepaly needs work, it is none the less interesting enough to be seen to the end- which won't disappoint.
Siren Head is as scary as it is minimalistic, sporting a dread filled atmosphere, and some of the best creepy sounds you will ever hear in a horror game.
I'm hesitant to give it 4 stars due it not fully indulging in it's creepy otherworldly atmosphere, but it's presence does benefit the otherwise well made story.
Influential and stylish if flawed, and slightly underutilizing its premise at times. Power Drill Massacre is a unique take on an over done inde troop that is scary, intriguing, and a milestone for survial inde horror.
Any flaws you might find in Ben´s previous titles have been ironed out in Nun Massacre. But everything that made those games great and influental additions to the survival horror genre is not only present but cranked up to 100. The dread, the existentalism, the atmosphere, and truly incredible sound design that most inde horror games lack.
Nun Massacre shows Ben truly understands his craft.
Escape the Ayuwoki is comendible for making the overdone cat and mouse premise of inde horror somewhat fun again, and has interesting lore to offer, but it suffers from occasional bursts of bad level design, illogical gameplay choices, and a main character that talks to much.
More of an experince than a horror game, (Don´t) Open Your Eyes is worth playing and definitly has something of value but ultimatly feels uderdeveloped in terms of its premise.
3 1/2 Stars. Blake´s Slay Bells show that he has potential to contribute to the PSX horror subgenre. Even if it is sadly, in some ways, his best genre game to date.
