A.I.L.A review — A genre-bending adventure that’s sorely missing its nightmarish code – Destructoid

Technological dreams and reality merge when something sinister lurks behind the door you're afraid to open. More, AILA wants nothing more than to remind you of what's behind it. What mistake have you made and how far are you willing to go to escape your past?

Thrown into a world of advanced technology, AILA sees you playing as Samuel, a video game tester. Talk of a killer taking the eyes and hands of their victims and escaping into a virtual realm of horror seemed appropriate for the broken Samuel. One of the indie horror games I was most looking forward to this year was the horror game that came out on November 25th. AILA.

A technological horror that blurs the line between the virtual world and reality, AILA throws you into different worlds in the hope of reminding you of the past that Samuel is so desperate to forget.

AILA has many ideas and does not suffer from them

AILA deftly and effortlessly combines horror ideas and subgenres without ever feeling muddled. The inclusion of collectible hunts, both in the form of figures and Red Wagon pages, enhances the attractive level designs throughout the game. The compact level design was so neat and polished that AILA does not provide a card. Surprisingly, this was not needed. I found that I breezed through the game without any hesitation or effort as each level was well paced and flowed well together.

The problem is that while the setting and idea changes with each world you explore, the gameplay remains the same. Survival horror and action films merge into one, and beyond AILAPromising start: One-note, non-scary enemies appear in three forms: a small and normal enemy, a larger and stronger enemy, and a level boss. The format does AILA repeatable and completely eliminates any problems. The puzzles are also simpler than most horror games, and boss battles take place in the same tiny arena where you only need to run around and turn to shoot. every time.

Intriguing karma system

While the game offers narrative options, each one falls into two obvious, binary moral options. The outcome of the game also depends on the final decision, where choosing the right option is as obvious as Mass EffectThe paths of the Renegade and the Ideal. Karma doesn't expand beyond random choices and doesn't add much depth to the story since you don't shape Samuel like in Quantum Dream or Baldur's Gate.

Your decisions actually depend on whether you accept or deny a truth that you have not yet internalized (but can easily guess). In truth, the karma system doesn't change much, but it's a fun addition. You are told from the start that AILA tracks your karma and listens to your feedback. However, this only matters in the first hour. What seemed like a big advantage AILA The karma system (which had great potential) was disappointing because it was not used to its full potential.

Unreal Engine 5 in full force (except for clunky character models)

The atmosphere one would expect from a horror game was clearly lacking. With the exception of the first half hour of gameplay, which clearly knocked the leaf out of the rut. PTbook, rest AILA It didn't feel particularly stressful as I made my way through each level, solving mostly the easy puzzles and working through the rest, engaging in simple but repetitive combat along the way.

While I enjoyed the lore that each level had to offer, I couldn't get into the story because I knew they were created using AILA software. I hope I'm the only one who noticed this, but I have a hard time investing in characters that are unimportant to the overall plot when their existence is purely video game filler. Like OriginA Dream Within a Dream, no one cares about the extras who populate Cillian Murphy's subconscious, but rather the real people who invade his mind.

As with Cronos: The New Dawn, there's nothing new or inspiring about AILA.

Although I don't expect anything original, obviously borrowing from resident Evil And silent Hillacknowledging inspiration from references such as Leon Kennedy's ID card, and pairing a health item with a flower for added effectiveness, makes AILA I feel like a copycat.

PTThe psychological horror style opening sets up the usual psychological horror trope, but it has unique elements involving the use of glitches, televisions, and a remote control to alter reality. This, combined with the overall eerie sound design, gave AILA strong start. It wasn't until I saw the ubiquitous pattern found in many indie horror games that my enjoyment waned. Overtired, overwhelmed and, unfortunately, predictable – these were my thoughts an hour after starting work. AILA and stayed until the end, eight hours later.

I was hoping the story would save the game, but it was clear from the start where it was going. The revelation was expected, as evidenced by the various hints thrown in your face from the very beginning. Most of them will quickly catch on if you're used to horror games.

If you wanted a terrifying experience, you won't find it here. However, if you are not desensitized to horror like me, then AILA must offer entertainment, tension and intrigue in its storytelling. Those who are fans PT And resident Evil you should like this title unless you're looking for the next influential psychological or survival horror.

---