And visuals aren’t Penumbra’s big selling point anyway. Right off the bat it’s clear to see that Penumbra won’t be winning any awards for visual excellence, but the predominantly dark environment that’s lit only by torch or glow light instantly creates a chilling atmosphere. Set in a dark, dingy underground facility, you’re totally alone as you wander the stone-walled corridors. The first episode isn’t due out until March, but I sat down with a portion from the middle of episode one.
While Frictional might not have the budget to compete with the big boys, early impressions of Penumbra suggest that the game is going to provide players with a rather different gaming experience. Next up to flex its episodic muscles is Penumbra Overture, a first-person adventure horror from Frictional Games. We’re still waiting for the next instalments from big hitters Half-Life 2 and SiN Episodes, and even moderately successful ventures like the new Sam and Max episodes haven’t been released quite as regularly as fans would like. Episodic gaming hasn’t really been as big a hit as the surrounding hype suggested it would be.
