Of all the games I played at PAX East, there is one that has lingered, or should I say haunted, my mind, and that would be Paranormal Activity: Threshold. Being a seasoned veteran in the ghost hunting game scene for a while now, I had fairly low expectations for what this game could turn out to be, mainly because once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. With all the chills I experienced while playing this game, I firmly believe we may have another scary good time on our hands.
Setting the Crime Scene
In this brief demo, the player is introduced to the young couple of Daniel and Jessica Stewart. They opted to remodel their first home and chose a real fixer-upper that hides more than creaky floorboards. From that point onward, I could compare this experience to a rollercoaster’s slow ascent up to the ultimate drop. Throughout this demo, there was this deafening silence between key narrative moments as I explored the home further, which sent chills down my spine. Pair that with the fear that accompanies you as you encounter the most demonic of spirits, and it truly left me feeling on edge for hours after playing this game.
There is also a lot that can be said about experiencing this story through multiple perspectives. As I mentioned earlier, you play as the young couple for a fair amount of the demo. Shortly after, we are transported into the first-person perspective of a cop who is investigating the untimely demise of the Stewarts. There is something that is sickening to me, knowing that some innocent soul is marching into the lion’s den that is this old home. Knowing that there really isn’t much that could be done to protect this investigator from the spirits that lurk within almost made me feel like a guilty accomplice sending someone to their death in this demented game.
An Uneasy Tone
As the name of this game implies, Paranormal Activity: Threshold borrows its story beats directly from the iconic films. This is a relatively slow burn that asks the players to think and observe the environment around them. By doing so, you will unlock bits of evidence and unlock puzzles that help you put the totality of the story together.
Much like the films, the point of view we are playing from as the couple is the found footage perspective. This point of view made me feel very uneasy and as if I shouldn’t be watching this highly confidential crime scene footage. Specifically, it was the smaller, intimate moments the couple shared, like discussing floor layouts before their untimely death, that made me feel a sense of pain knowing what awaited this eager couple.
The Other Side Awaits You
While I am deathly afraid to play Paranormal Activity: Threshold alone and in the dark, I am truly pleased with the overall presentation of this story and the events that unfolded before me. The mystery, suspense, and most importantly, scares were all there, and the demo captured the essence of what a Paranormal Activity game should be like.
