In many stories, where we find a car breaking down in a place devoid of life and nearby help, you instantly know that there is trouble brewing; a kind stranger helping out before turning into a serial killer, a huge ghostly house lit up by lightning.
In THE ORIGIN: Blind Maid the game also starts with a car stopping in the middle of nowhere, ticking off the first of the horror checklists, adding more with darkness and then fear. It’s certainly a strange journey into the darkness and one that has me thinking of many lonely thoughts.
THE ORIGIN: Blind Maid is a single-player first-person survival horror game. You play the mayor of a city who we get to understand is fleeing because he’s been a bit naughty; a little bit corrupted. Yet as night falls and he’s in the middle of nowhere he stops his car. It’s here where his assistant starts to behave very oddly and we know it’s all gone a bit strange. As he progresses into the darkness he finds himself in a horror netherworld – The Origin – venturing deep into a mystery while hoping to redeem himself.
Based on the legend of the blind lady from Paraguayan lore, the actual setup and storytelling are strong in this game. You get to play various characters in the narrative, from the aforementioned corrupt mayor, to his daughter Eliza and his assistant, Vera. It’s a shame that the first bit of the game is so dark then, because after that the story does hot up and the game comes into its own. Granted, some of the dialogue can feel a bit cheesy at times, but it mixes with the horror vibe perfectly.
Gameplay-wise, THE ORIGIN: Blind Maid comes with elements of exploration, stealth mechanics, and first-person combat. The exploration side of the game is fine, but, as mentioned, the darkness in the beginning doesn’t help and you can feel lost for a while. Walking is slow, and when you run stamina will drain very quickly.
The combat is fine too and works okay, but it isn’t the best I’ve seen and is much more suited to an early Resident Evil game. You also have a stamina bar that seems to go down far too swiftly, whilst there is some old-school style limited ammo to be aware of. There is also some sneaking and hiding to be done to avoid any combat, but if you manage to get through this without being spotted, you’re a better person than me. I do like the crafting elements that allow for boosts, like being able to see in the dark or antidotes that are helpful.
The puzzle mechanics in THE ORIGIN: Blind Maid are enjoyable, satisfying to work out and solve. There are boss battles to be had too, and so you should expect to die a fair old bit as you make progress. Or maybe that latter statement says more about me than the game mechanics.
Visually, THE ORIGIN: Blind Maid is good, with some strong interior sections that are complete with great lighting. It’s in the utter darkness where things come down though and personally I found myself ramping the brightness on my TV up. There are some nice jump scares as well, scattered neatly throughout the game and whilst a couple of glitches pop up, there is nothing too big to be of concern. The soundtrack is also extremely strong, capable of creating the perfect atmosphere. When accompanied by some voice acting that pushes the dialogue with passion and commitment, all is good.
You’ll enjoy the story of THE ORIGIN: Blind Maid, as well as the various angles it takes in retelling a classic tale from a specific region. The soundtrack is excellent, as is the atmosphere the game creates. However, whilst the gameplay mechanics are okay, there is nothing here that will wow you in how they work, instead feeling familiar, working the tried and tested.
There’s no doubt that it feels a bit rough around the edges, but if you are after a new survival horror, you’ll be intrigued by THE ORIGIN: Blind Maid.
