The Final Take
- June 16, 2016
- HUSH Interactive
Relive dark footage recorded from the perspective of multiple characters in this unique first person horror.
Reviews
- The game effectively captures a creepy atmosphere reminiscent of '80s and '90s horror films, enhanced by its VHS visual effects.
- It's a budget-friendly horror game that provides a decent experience for its price, making it accessible for fans of the genre.
- The voice acting and sound design contribute positively to the overall experience, adding to the tension and immersion.
- The gameplay is overly simplistic and repetitive, often feeling like a generic Slender clone with little innovation.
- The VHS filter and dark environments make it difficult to see, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- The game is very short, with a total playtime of under an hour, leaving players wanting more substance and depth.
- story44 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 86 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally criticized for being weak, confusing, and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that it feels incomplete and borrowed from other horror narratives. While some elements, such as the initial setup and atmosphere, show potential, the overall execution leaves players unsatisfied, often leading to frustration due to unclear objectives and minimal character development. Despite a few intriguing moments, the story fails to deliver a compelling experience, making it a missed opportunity for a more engaging horror narrative.
“With interesting characters, a style similar to Slender, and a bizarre story, it's a good budget horror game.”
“Despite it starting off rather good in the first chapter by setting the mood, giving you a beginning to the story and throwing a couple of puzzles your way mixed in with 'something' haunting this place and seemingly trying to hunt you down...”
“Through these people's chapters/stories, you learn of their story and what happens to them by being imposed on by creatures/monsters that scare the life out of you.”
“The story is relatively weak and makes little sense. The main character goes to interview at a hospital, and strange events start unfolding around her. After a while, she finds a television and watches a tape of someone else experiencing the same strange occurrences. The mood is well achieved, and the pace of the game is very similar to Slender, but the mechanics are very simple, and the VHS graphics help with immersion, though the pink theme becomes annoying after a while.”
“The story doesn't make much sense - it feels incomplete. The game's description mentions 'multiple characters', but there are actually only two, one of which is only played in one chapter, and even when you finish that chapter, you still have no idea who he is or what his role in the story is.”
“Overall, the story is not one to give you the scares, and you should not be expecting that. The initial setup is about as cliché as it gets, and while there may be a plot revelation that is somewhat good, whether it's worth playing the game to reach that resolution is another matter entirely.”
- gameplay30 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as initially creepy but becomes straightforward and somewhat easy once players grasp the mechanics, resembling a cat-and-mouse dynamic. However, many reviewers criticize the gameplay for being frustrating and generic, with a poorly executed VHS effect that detracts from the experience. Overall, the game offers limited playtime and lacks depth, making it feel like a missed opportunity for a more engaging horror experience.
“It is creepy at first, but once you get the game mechanics down, it really is a cat and mouse game and rather easy.”
“I liked the idea of the gameplay taking place through a VHS recording, and I wouldn't mind seeing the concept fleshed out a bit more in a future game.”
“The story is relatively weak and makes little sense, but the mood is well achieved and the pace of the game is very similar to Slender; the mechanics are very simple, and the VHS graphics help the immersion.”
“I would not recommend buying this game; it's a waste of time and money. The gameplay is not worth it, nor are the visuals.”
“The entire gameplay, even the main menu, employs a VHS effect along with a sepia color scheme that actually makes the game look pretty ugly instead of giving it the 'realistic '80s feel' as the creators claim.”
“Many of the features mentioned in the game's description are barely used for that reason - there's just not enough gameplay time to make proper use of the mentioned features.”
- graphics17 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the creepy atmosphere and VHS-style visuals that enhance immersion, while others criticize the performance and overall quality, describing them as frustrating and low-resolution. Despite the aesthetic appeal for some, the heavy film grain and distortion can make it difficult to see, leading to a consensus that while the visuals contribute to the game's mood, they are not particularly impressive. Overall, the graphics are seen as a point of contention, with opinions varying widely based on individual expectations and the game's low price.
“The content on offer from 'the final take' is respectable enough with regard to visuals and atmosphere.”
“Although the graphics aren't the best, it still manages to be terrifying.”
“It's well done, graphics look good and the game has a creepy atmosphere.”
“I would not recommend buying this game; it's a waste of time and money. Sorry, but the gameplay is not worth it, nor are the visuals.”
“The voice acting was terrible, the visuals were frustrating, and there is less than an hour of gameplay.”
“That, combined with the game’s blurry VHS-style visuals, makes it fairly difficult to see, especially in the second chapter.”
- atmosphere17 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its creepiness and effective use of audio and visual elements, creating a sense of tension and immersion. However, some players feel that certain gameplay mechanics, like the photo collection and mini-games, detract from the overall mood. While the initial setup is strong, inconsistencies in design and execution can undermine the intended atmospheric experience.
“The game starts off well, with a creepy atmosphere, interesting VHS video tape glitching effects, narration of your character as you play, puzzles, and audio logs.”
“The atmosphere and sounds are spot on, so I will keep playing.”
“The atmosphere of the game is just perfect, capturing the feeling of being hunted.”
“Atmosphere was good at first, but the stupid idea of collecting photos all around broke it and degraded it to a level of none.”
“There are a good few things that could be implemented in this game. First off, the lighting could use a bit of a tweak just enough to see exactly where you're going while still keeping the creepy atmosphere. Secondly, the layout looks a little cramped, and as for the minigame, it's good, don't get me wrong, but it kind of takes away from the mood of the game.”
“Most of the horror comes from the atmosphere, the lack of lighting, and the fact that you can't fight back against any of the enemies you come across.”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as having a creepy atmosphere that effectively sets the mood, though it lacks depth and variety. While some players found it relaxing, others felt it was not particularly impressive and overshadowed by poor voice acting and gameplay mechanics. Overall, the music serves its purpose but does not stand out significantly.
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
“The music, while not much to talk about, was okay to set the mood.”
“When talking about audio, I'll start with the music as I don't have much to say.”
“Music, while not much to talk about, was okay to set the mood.”
“Music is creepy, but that's pretty much it.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its absurd and quirky enemy designs, which resemble a comedic b-movie rather than a serious threat, often leading to amusing situations. However, while the humor may elicit laughter, it may not be enough to compensate for the overall gameplay experience, suggesting that players seeking a more engaging game might want to look elsewhere.
“The enemies are broken, missing heads with floating eyes; they get stuck on nearly any obstacle and are more annoying and funny than scary.”
“It made me laugh like a B-movie would; the humor is entertaining, even if the gameplay might not be for everyone.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, while the game is generally stable, players report experiencing glitches, particularly when using an Xbox controller, which can lead to buggy behavior. Additionally, there are concerns about the game's longevity, suggesting a potentially short lifespan.
“Yes, though expect glitches and a short lifespan.”
“The game glitches out frequently.”
“Xbox controller support - having a controller turned on or plugged in causes the game to become buggy.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, suggesting that it requires a significant time investment despite the game's overall short length of about half an hour.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Sure, the game is around a half-hour in length, but even during my short playthrough, it became tedious.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is notably inconsistent; while some players experience poor performance even on capable hardware, others report a stable 60 fps throughout their gameplay. Overall, opinions on optimization vary significantly among users.
“The game is very well optimized, and it ran at a stable 60 fps for the entirety of my 45 minutes of playtime.”
“I was impressed by how smoothly the game performed, even during intense action sequences.”
“The optimization is top-notch; I experienced no lag or frame drops throughout my entire session.”
“The game's performance is absolutely terrible; even my outdated laptop should be able to run it without issues.”
“The optimization is so poor that it detracts from the overall experience, making it hard to enjoy the game.”
“Despite the impressive visuals and creative objectives, the optimization issues make it frustrating to play.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game has low replayability, as players can quickly achieve all necessary objectives, such as collecting recordings in the first chapter, which diminishes the incentive to replay.
“The game offers endless replayability with its dynamic storylines and multiple endings, ensuring that each playthrough feels fresh and exciting.”
“I love how every decision I make changes the outcome, making me want to replay the game to explore all the different possibilities.”
“With a variety of character builds and strategies to try, the replayability factor is off the charts!”
“No... just no... if you get the four recordings in chapter one on the first try, there's absolutely no replay value, because then you'll have all the achievements pinned down.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy is seen as a way to extend playtime, compensating for the game's limited content of under one hour.
“It adds to the playtime at least because it has less than one hour of content otherwise.”
“The monetization feels excessive and detracts from the overall experience.”
“I feel pressured to spend money to enjoy the game fully, which is frustrating.”