The 1980’s was a wonderful time for horror movies. Without too much CGI, films relied on animatronics and visual effects, but mostly it was the tension and mad lone killers hunting their victims which came to the fore. That’s why the Halloween and Friday the 13th franchises were so popular – sociopathic lunatics masked up, stalking teenagers in all manner of ways was the order of the day.
Lakeview Cabin Collection is a homage to the films of that era, putting you into the heart of a slasher movie. Have you the wits to survive?
Lakeview Cabin Collection first appeared on Steam back in 2015 and so it’s taken nearly a decade for it to get its console release. The game takes you across four episodes and various genres of horror, done with a constant wink at the audience. You are tasked with trying to survive a killer let loose in a summer camp, an alien infection that promises to rule the world, a neighbourhood murderer, and that of an entity and cannibals on the loose. All of these episodes are told through pixel graphics and a sandbox world of horror and chaos. It’s a ripping yarn.
It’s a tricky game to initially get to grips with though, and that’s because you will feel – pretty much from the start – that you are playing catch up; it’s hard to initially understand what you’re supposed to be doing. But when you work it out, it’s a lot of fun.
You start the game in an alleyway where you play a man who can pick up objects and people, holding them above his head. But that’s all you know. Soon you end up at a cinema showing four films, each of which are the four episodes in the series, focusing on a different protagonist and story. I like the atmosphere and narrative of each of these tales, especially as they are delivered with a fun premise, a great nod to those horror movies of the past.
Gameplay-wise, Lakeview Cabin Collection is a side scroller at heart, set in a 2D world. You move your character around, lifting objects, but as mentioned, initially you’ll be unclear as to why and what you are doing. There’s a chance this will suit some people and annoy others. You can switch between characters and from there comes the opportunity to pretty much do anything, from riding a motorcycle to throwing a person in the air. In the first game, the slasher/killer turns up and the objective is to get everyone out alive. So you have to find ways to slow the killer down with traps, making sure you keep everyone safe and sound.
The second episode is much different, more like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre as you take on a person’s escape from a horror house, and trying to fuel up a van. The third and fourth ones are different again, both in style and setups, but I’m not going to ruin anything here.
Whatever, the sandbox mechanics of the game should be seen as a highlight, as you can get on with doing anything you want. As you may expect, this can result in some very funny, extremely random, situations and outcomes. Does the lack of direction annoy? Again, possibly, but that will be determined by the player.
Visually we’re looking at pixel art graphics, ripped straight from the SNES era of gaming. It’ll be 2D side-scrolling pixel heaven for many. But Lakeview Cabin Collection does a great job with the tools, allowing for humour and inventiveness throughout. There are also some decent lighting effects which should be mentioned. The audio is pretty good too, with a great Stranger Things vibe, opening tune and score throughout.
Lakeview Cabin Collection is full of inventiveness, playing out as a homage to the golden era of horror movies. For that, it should be applauded. It’s also been made by a sole developer and the skills on show here are very impressive. For retro fans, there is a lot to love, especially in the visuals and sound effects, but on a personal level it doesn’t have enough hand-holding for my tastes. Get to grips with things though and you’ll have a blast with the different stories on offer.
