You’ve finally made it to the dead-end mining town of Scarlet Hollow, North Carolina, where your aunt is dead, your cousin hates you, and something otherworldly stalks you from the shadows. You won’t be able to save everyone. You might not even be able to save yourself. Welcome home.
RPG Gamers summaryScarlet Hollow, developed by the creators of the popular game Slay the Princess, is an immersive horror-mystery game that demands the attention of anyone interested in narrative-driven gaming. With a high-focus on story and impactful player decisions, this game encapsulates anxieties, horrors, and mystery perfectly.
Set in the rural mountains of North Carolina, players will find themselves in the center of a complex, seemingly paranormal mystery in the once quiet town of Scarlet Hollow. With your character visiting the town to comfort your long-lost cousin after her mother’s death, an array of horrors and nightmares now awaits your discovery.
The game challenges its players to investigate a multitude of horrors, from haunted houses, a deteriorating coal mine, to strange sightings in the woods. The game releases episode after episode, four episodes of which are currently available, and the rest would follow as the developers finish them.
Scarlet Hollow comes with rich features that make it an exciting experience for players. A distinguishing feature of this game is its heavy branching narrative. Your decisions throughout the game significantly alter its course and affect your relationships with the game’s characters. The trait-based dialogue system allows you to mold your character as per your own persona. This takes role-playing to the next degree by allowing interaction with the environment and changing the story’s dynamic based on your choices.
Graphics-wise, the game impresses with its hand-drawn art, all meticulously crafted by Abby Howard, an Ignatz-winning graphic novelist. The characters are vividly crafted, with hundreds of hand-drawn sprites presenting a full range of emotions, environmental changes, and outfits.
The creature designs are inspired by the Appalachian myths and cryptids, adding a disturbingly authentic touch to the horror elements. However, Scarlet Hollow stands out in its approach to horror, avoiding clichéd jumpscares and instead building a sense of dread, tension and disturbing imagery to keep players on edge.
Furthermore, Scarlet Hollow introduces a hint of romance, with options catering to a diverse range of player preferences. However, for those who’d prefer to refrain from in-game romance, the game assures that the absence of these elements won’t impact the player’s overall experience.
Overall, with its unique blend of horror, mystery, RPG elements, and player-driven narrative, Scarlet Hollow proves to be a game worth keeping an eye on, offering an exciting, dread-filled journey that can tug at your curiosity while keeping you on the edge of your seat.
