Early demo lets players size up The Assessment

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

New mystery horror game unveiled by the creator of Forest Grove and The Curse of Grimsey Island

Miga Games has made a name for itself with haunting investigations infused with sci-fi, paranormal or other fantastical elements in Forest Grove, The Curse of Grimsey Island and Okinawa Journal. Not surprisingly, then, the indie developer's next project The Assessment will feature many of those same qualities when it arrives on PC later this year.

Players control an archeologist named Gabrielle, who is visiting Japan when she receives a "mysterious phone call" from someone wanting to hire her to assess the forgotten Yokogawa Castle and "determine whether it should be preserved or condemned." With just one night to do so, you venture into the centuries-old structure only to discover that "hitobashira" was once performed there – a Japanese practice in which human sacrifices were "buried within the walls to protect the castle." And yet Gabrielle feels a strange personal connection to the place, and begins to sense that even as she assesses the castle, it is also assessing her. To get out alive with your sanity intact, as the player you'll need to "perform rituals, release trapped souls, and explore Gabrielle's most painful memories, corrupted by the castle's spirits."

The Assessment is a free-roaming 3D adventure navigated via keyboard/mouse or gamepad, but unlike the developer's previous games, here you have the option to switch between first- and third-person perspectives at will. Described as a "short-form experience that is focused on suspense, exploration, and discovery," the gameplay isn't entirely traditional for an adventure. Equipped only with a flashlight, you'll need to interact with highlighted hotspots and scour the environments for photos that must then be matched with their real-world counterparts. Along the way, you'll also seek out "artifacts from those that were buried" and acquire spirit beads, spirit stones and prayers that can be used to release imprisoned souls. But beware, as any number of jump scares can occur anywhere, anytime, as the castle's "dynamic haunting ensures ghostly encounters are unpredictable." As you progress, you'll also find yourself living out traumatic memories of the protagonist's own past that may be even more frightening than the lingering remnants of those who came before you. 

The full version of The Assessment isn't far off, expected to launch sometime before the end of the year for Windows PC (with Steam Deck compatibility). In the meantime, a playable demo is available as part of the Steam Next Fest, allowing players an early glimpse at what lies behind Yokogawa Castle's creepy old doors. 

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