PC REVIEW | The Lacerator

Welcome to the world of Schlocky ’80s Horror, which features a late-’90s game style characterised by era-specific controls, story elements, and graphic violence typical of that time, combining elements from both decades. This, my fellow horror game fans, is The Lacerator: a title which will hit the nostalgic button in just the right ways… mostly. But I digress. The Lacerator wasn’t what I expected it to be when I first started playing, and I will be honest and say I was kind of expecting a run-of-the-mill on-the-rails 3rd-person action horror-style game. The Lacerator is anything but run-of-the-mill, as I will explain as we get into the meat of the review.

In The Lacerator, you are play as Max, who, according to the game, is one of the greatest porn stars of the ’80s. Max has managed to get into a little bit of a pickle, along with the rest of the cast and crew of his latest flick. A psychopath known as the Lacerator has captured them all, and it’s now up to Max to escape and save himself while avoiding getting his limbs sliced off in interesting but painful ways. There are puzzles, weapons, gore, and shenanigans galore to be discovered as you make your way through the deadly maze of the Lacerator. Trust me, you’re in for a blast.

Things I liked!

• Graphics | Graphically, The Lacerator follows the popular trope of PS1-style old-school horror, in the same vein as the likes of Resident Evil and Silent Hill. It’s odd to me that games, especially a lot of recent horror games, have started going back to this kind of graphical format, but hey, it works. The over-the-shoulder camera for third-person mode and the fixed camera angles for the tank control mode both work to their advantage, giving you a taste of the kind of horror I grew up playing. And while yes, there are many games that do the same, there aren’t a lot that give you a choice. I actually think anything other than this style would have made the game feel a little flat in comparison; the old-school style just adds to the overall charm.

• Sound Design | ‘Minimalistic’ is the word when it comes to the sound design of The Lacerator, well, except when you’re being chased, that is… The Lacerator likes to keep things simple in terms of sound design, allowing you to focus more on the atmosphere the game world itself provides. It’s an unusual approach to horror game sound aesthetics, but sometimes less really is more.
  
  
• Unique Gameplay | The Lacerator, as I mentioned, plays like an old-school horror, but with a few differences that make it quite an interesting wee title. For example, as mentioned earlier, you can choose between playing the game in a fixed-camera style, where you get a feeling of claustrophobic anticipation as you traverse each area. The tank control scheme of this style might take a bit of getting used to if you haven’t played like this before, but this is where the game offers something a bit different from others: you can switch to an over-the-shoulder third-person style. With both of these choices, there are challenges, but at least you have that choice.
  
  One of the other aspects of the game you’ll discover quite quickly is that you can lose limbs, digits, and even… ahem… your member, as you navigate traps, enemies, and The Lacerator himself. Instead of getting an instant game-over screen, you can carry on with the limbs missing, albeit slower and with a lot more of a challenge. Lose your arms? No weapons for you. Legs? Time to crawl. Other?… You’ll see. It is possible to beat the game without losing limbs, but not on your first playthrough. Don’t reset the game if you do get hurt; instead, embrace the absurdity of making your way through in your injured state, and just have fun with it.
  
  
• No Map? | ‘But Derek’, I hear you ask, ‘why would not having a map be a good thing?’ Well, a game like The Lacerator isn’t going to hold your hand unless it’s severed from your body. The Lacerator himself doesn’t want you to escape, so why would he leave something as handy as a map lying around? Instead, you will have to rely on your wits and your memory, whilst also taking paths that might seem a little dangerous from time to time… Basically, just explore, because it’s part of the fun.

Mixed & disliked!

• Story | OK. This isn’t exactly a bad thing, but the story is what you might expect if you’ve ever watched any ’80s B-movie–style cheesy horror flick. It has so much that might make modern gamers cringe inwardly, but it’s so silly and fun that it just makes sense in a weird way. I mean, it’s just something we used to call popcorn for the eyes. Don’t take it too seriously, just enjoy the ride and have fun talking to your friends about it once you’ve finished all the endings.

• Controls | The control scheme is a mixed bag; as mentioned, you can play in a tank style or in 3rd person, and both have unique challenges. If you’re an old-school gamer, then the tank control style shouldn’t pose too much of an issue, but some of the puzzles are more difficult in this style. Similarly, if you prefer the 3rd-person style, you will find items and enemies more easily, but combat is a little tougher. Sometimes the limitations of one or the other can make you feel that some aspects are a little unfair, but with all games, practice makes perfect. I’m not sure if I would have preferred a single style, but kudos to the devs for giving us the option.

How long did I play the review before publishing? 7 hours
How long to beat the story? Between 1 and 2 Hours
How long to finish everything? | Around 6 Hours
You’ll love this game if you like these | Resident Evil, Tormented Souls, Obscure

CONCLUSION

Score: 85/100

Why yes, I would like a huge slice of cheese on my horror, thank you, and don’t skimp on the gore.

The Lacerator brings together all the elements you could want from a modern retro-style horror game: the setting, the characters, and the gameplay all come together in a glorious bloodbath of insanity which, while a little short, will keep you entertained. If you are a fan of ’80s horror and gore, then you could do worse than to give The Lacerator a playthrough. A decent wee horror game indeed with some unique mechanics. I would love to see more from the developers in the future.