SEARCH PARTY: Director's Cut

A really fun 2D survival horror game. The chase sequences were definitely the highlight and I liked that the killer was constantly searching for you. It kept the game really tense the whole time. Because of that, I do think the story suffered really much. There wasn't really much time to focus on the narrative since you were either solving puzzles or trying to escape the killer. It's nothing particularly special, but I can still definitely recommend it.

SEARCH PARTY: Director’s Cut, developed by games by lum and published by Torture Star Video, is a tightly focused survival horror experience that leans into retro design sensibilities while delivering a distinctly modern sense of tension. It presents itself with a deceptively simple premise—searching for a missing person in an isolated forest—but quickly evolves into something far more unsettling. Rather than relying on spectacle or constant action, the game builds its identity around vulnerability, uncertainty, and the slow, deliberate escalation of dread. The narrative follows Claire, who ventures into a remote wooded area in search of her missing brother, only to uncover a mysterious house that becomes the center of the experience. From this point onward, the game narrows its focus, turning the environment into a confined, oppressive space where every movement feels significant. The story unfolds gradually, with minimal exposition, allowing players to piece together events through exploration and observation. This restraint works in the game’s favor, creating an atmosphere where ambiguity and suggestion are often more effective than explicit storytelling. Gameplay is built aro…

Heartbreaking, fun, and tragic! Search Party will always stick out to me as one of the most underrated horror games in the industry. The storytelling in this game is phenomenal—a total upgrade from the original 2019 release, which was still just as decent. All of the mechanics in this game are very fun, and the combat is easy to work with. My tears are very limited for games and media in general, so it felt like a surreal moment once the game reached its climax and I felt a single one drop from my eye. Claire is one of my favorite protagonists out of all of the Torture Star Games, and I hope we see more of her. Thank you for creating such an amazing game, Lum.

If you are anything like me with Horror/Scary games and you love endless saves, this games for you. I love being able to save any chance possible. It got a good scream/jump out of me, it's a good scary. Really great game.

Genuinely unsettling. A good combination of classic survival horror mechanics and modern storytelling that manages to build dread and surprise you at the same time.

Short horror with a good atmosphere