The Order of the Snake Scale

Unfortunately can't recommend this one. What bills itself as a survival horror game is actually a frustrating adventure game, with puzzles that have you backtracking all over the map trying to find the one little item in a corner that you missed. After my third time having to look up a solution and realizing I would have to backtrack all the way to the start of the game, I decided to call it quits. The other frustrating bit of this game calling itself survival horror is that there's no survival aspect (healing items and bullets are EVERYWHERE, I was never even close to running out) and there's no horror aspect; the game very rarely sets up scenarios that are even remotely scary. Enemies (of which I think there are only 2 types) always announce themselves before running at you, and combat is largely a joke that is rarely threatening. The game is also constantly blasting its moody, ambient tracks in the background, rarely allowing for any moments of silence or tension to be felt. It's frustrating because there is something here that is interesting; I love the fixed camera perspectives and tank controls coupled with the first-person aiming. The visuals are pretty solid and the…

1 part point and click, 1/2 part Resident Evil tank controls, 2/7ths first person shooter, a dash of cyberpunk, a dram of cosmic horror(?) and as many chances to get stopped on a portruding bit of scenery as you can handle and you have Order of the Snake Scale. Played on an Xbox controller. What you need to know. 1. You've come to a small town to investigate the death of a young woman and will do very little of that. 2. Check the controls before you play. You HAVE A FLASHLIGHT. Use it. 3. You are a cyborg but you will regret not getting leg implants because you will be walking a lot. 4. As with most adventure games you need to find a object you can pick up to use on an object you cannot. 5. Search every area VERY thoroughly. Just because you have the shavings of cat hair doesn't mean you should run back to the mustache maker right away. Because tucked out of sight behind the pile of cat hair is bottle of bourbon you will need to give to a worker so he quits his job, so you can tell his supervisor that, so his supervisor can go after him, leaving his security card unattended on the table that you can't take while he's there because he yells at you cybog cop man working for the…

Short, sweet, simple. Puzzles are as stated from previous reviews, some you must ascertain from cryptic Wolverine P.U stink lines emitted from certain objects when you aim your firearm, through your special cyberware optics. While others, are like 'Bourbon' which is given from an NPC when you show her/him another object that gives them validation for another side venture, hence, a cyclical dilemma solving natural order, which you'll end up giving to another NPC triggering a dialogue response from the Factory corpo slave, leading to you thrifting a badge leading to the next location. Things like this populate this narrative, but I find myself excited to read the newsletters, gander the drawings, and peruse the controversial tabloids that had me reminiscing on some DeUs Ex lore, while simultaneously enjoying the spook white noise, and infrequent conversations with other purveyors of the cryptid. I would say, most of the game I was half screened on my weapon, while the other half was glancing at the environment. Fullscreen was a must for me, but you can play this wide with borders, although this Unity engine will have your PC scream if you're not careful with toggling lower settings. …

Gritty retro survival horror with 1st person aiming and zero handholding, set in a cyberpunk dystopia. It's a cool concept, but sadly the execution is just not up to par. PROS: - the horror atmosphere hits the spot just right. - nostalgia. The Order of the Snake Scale really captures that 90s horror game look and feel. CONS: - the map is too large, resulting in lots of boring, unnecessary backtracking. Filler, basically. - apart from some youtube videos, I couldn't find any walkthroughs for this game. This sucks because it's easy to miss important items and get stuck. At the very least, the dev should provide a basic walkthrough guide on Steam. - dialogues were written/translated by someone who doesn't speak English as their first language, and it shows. Hamfisted exposition is all over the place. - the story and setting are nonsensical. Characters live in an oppressive surveillance state, yet they openly admit to doing illegal stuff to a detective they've just met, and even directly ask him to give them contraband. There are serial killers, evil cults, mad scientists, and a bunch of other cliches. The detective is a cyborg, yet this has absolutely no effect on anything. The whol…

Much better than I thought. But not for everyone. If this were an old game, I think it would be a cult classic of sorts. You'll probably enjoy this game if you approach it as if it were an old game. If old games are not your thing then you may not like this either. Additionally, you'll enjoy this most if you like the style (playstation 1) and setting (cyberpunk horror) this is going for as well as the genre (it's an adventure games that has puzzles, exploration in terms of looking for items, and some minor combat.) As for what the game offers, it has "potential" insofar as every aspect of the game could be improved by quite a lot... particularly the writing could use some nuance. Nonetheless, what is offered is still good, if not great for what it is, to a large degree because it is a very atmospheric game and that can make up for a lot.

Horrible controls, lighting and the camera movement actually makes you feel sick.