Destructoid’s Indie Gems – Edition 3: Keep your sanity on Lovecraftian waters
Something is brewing underneath the turbulent sea. A storm is fast approaching ,and there's not much the local authorities can do about it. Quarantine zones have been activated, but people need to evacuate. The threat is far beyond our comprehension. It's cosmic in design and can communicate across the waves and into our homes, our hearts, our minds.
Sailors are going missing, ships are being left abandoned. How are you to know what you're sending to the shore is the same as it was before leaving the harbor? Man that beacon and keep the light on at all costs. Make sure your boys get home, or you might fall victim to the Lovecraftian horrors that call your name. Will you keep hope lit, or will you drift into the water, too, crashing against the seabed as another empty vessel?
The weight of the world rests upon your shoulders
This is the indie horror title Static Dread: The Lighthouse. A mix of Papers, Please and World of Horror , you play as a lightkeeper whose job is to keep the lighthouse lit during a cosmic nightmare. You stand on the edge of what makes us human, tasked to guide lost sailors home. But it's not as simple as plotting the safe route back. Pay attention to their stories, investigate their vessels' condition, and work out where to send them. Not all are telling the truth, and there's an incomprehensible force trying to manipulate you the entire time.
In true cosmic fashion, Static Dread is The Lighthouse with blatant ties to Lovecraft's fear of the unknown. A beast far beyond our comprehension resides at the heart of the storm. It messes with the electronics and your mind, feeding you false information, and playing tricks on you. But what can you trust? Do you really take the risk knowing you've got family back at home? You can't let that thing anywhere near the land, or we're all doomed.
Our savior or damnation?
Static Dread is a life sim where you must fulfil your lightkeeper duties, all while keeping your sanity in check. NPCs arrive on set days every week, their story unfolding based on your choices. They sell you food, weapons, and distractions—any way to stop you from losing it. You must decide who to let into your lighthouse, which sailors to save, and what horrors to stop before they reach the shore. Full of dilemmas and impossible decisions, Static Dread has gameplay that's easy to grasp as you have to tune into the radio, listen to sailors' stories, and plot your route accordingly. Don't let anything slip through the cracks.
Instead of exploring the water as you do in DREDGE , the cosmic horror frequently turns up on your doorstep. Keep the lights on, not just for passing ships, but for your own sanity too. There are many paths this game can take, offering multiple endings depending on the decisions you make. Will you condemn your loved ones and humanity, or can you fight off your demons to protect them until the very end? Each choice feels impossible, and every inch of the lighthouse feels like it wants to swallow you whole, yet the setting is strangely cozy.
Its unique art style, paired with the simplistic gameplay, makes it a comforting entry even though it houses nightmares far beyond what our minds are capable of understanding. There's a supernatural element too, as you could be haunted by the past—a reminder that your actions have consequences—and that the wrong choice may have led to someone's death. Are you up for the job?
What kind of person are you?
Static Dread is releasing on Aug. 6, but an amazing demo is readily available on Steam as you wait for its full release. With many achievements and multiple endings to unlock, alongside mysterious characters to meet and a deity to face, there's a lot that will unfold in those 15 days as a lonesome lightkeeper. Everyone is relying on you. Don't mess up.
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