Slender: The arrival – Switch review

Review by Kerith Busby

Slender: The arrival is the latest port of this game and it brings it to the Nintendo Switch which is the format we are reviewing. Slender: The arrival has been Developed by Blue Isles Studios and it is the official video game adaptation of the Slender man as they have worked and developed the game in collaboration with Eric “Victor Surge” Knudson, For those of you who don’t know that name he is the mind that created the paranormal phenomenon that is the Slender man and has been terrifying people with it ever since.

This version of the game is the re-imaging and expansion of the original which can be found on pretty much every format in recent generation gaming, the new game has improved graphics as well as an extra couple of levels and some overall improvements thrown into the mix.

 So, it’s been improve but how does it really look? To be honest the game looks good, there is  a lot of detail in the areas you move through and the dim lighting (if you make sure your gamma Is set correctly) really helps to set the scene and feeling in the game and will help bring you into the work of the slender man. The game does take place through the view of a camcorder which can be a little off putting to some I imagine but stays within the lore of the slender man causing static and issues with electrical equipment so you know when he is near, not that it will stop him creepy up on you like a tall jack in the box.

In the game you are playing as the character Lauren, you start the game in a wooded area not far from what I assume is your car and you need to find your friend Kate’s house. As you progress forward it will start to get darker and darker as night turns and your vision will become very limited, as you enter the house you will notice that the house is a mess and looks like it has been tipped upside down in some areas. As you explore the house you will locate a touch and this touch is going to be your best friend so take care of it, you continue to search the house looking for Kate and finding notes and letters as you progress.

I don’t want to spoil to much of the game’s story or any of the bits that will make you jump but as you search things will become apparent that someone or something has done something to Kate, once you find her room you will notice drawings writings on the walls and the window smashed which overlooks a open gate in the garden. Naturally that is going to be your first place to start looking for clues, as you move through the dark some times is can be a little hard to see (especially if your settings are off) but there are paths in the forest areas you can just see and follow until you find the generators to switch the lights on.

There is a very interesting underlying story to the game which you will find out more and more about as you progress as well as the searching for your lost friend, it is gripping and will keep you on the edge of your seat well that and the regular scares that the game will give you when you least expect it.

The guys at Blue isles are very talented with there audio in there games as I have discovered from previous titles they have made and they have not let themselves down here I can tell you, the sound effects are amazing and the music and background noises are done in such a way it does instil a sense of fear and doom in you. It will have you jumping and shadows and suddenly looking around trying to find the cause of that noise you heard, if you want a real treat to play this at night with noise cancelling headphones and I’m sure it will really immerse you into the game.

I would like to point out that although the game is very story driven it is not totally linear as I discovered when I was wandering lost in the woods for some time (stick to the path kids) and you can die so don think that it is just an interactive story, one thing I will say is the save points are set as the scenes so if you decide to be stupid halfway through a scene and go say hi to the Slender man to see what happens you will be restarting.

Overall, I give Slender: The arrival 8/10, it is a great little horror game and it is fun if fun is the right word here… It will give you a good few hours of enjoyment and fear more so if your like me and go for a wander in the woods with the slender man, I would also like to add that if you move quickly you can grab this game on sale as it is currently only £5.66 on the Nintendo store so go buy it and scare yourself with it!