Haunted House from 1982 on Atari 2600 was one of the first horror games ever. It was best remembered for its evocative imagery of a pair of eyes in a void – the only window in its pixelated purgatory. They peered through the gloom of a cathode ray-lit bedroom, with the player navigating corridors that shifted and twisted like fever dreams. Terrors materialised from the ether; pixelated horrors with glowing eyes, their forms flickering whispers of garbled screams. Forty years later, this decrepit classic is reimagined by Orbit Studio, but does this remake still honour the tenets of the original?
Haunted House is reborn in a high-definition nightmare…or so they promised. The premise is still the same: urn pieces are scattered across a mysterious mansion, but where the original danced on the razor’s edge of technology, this remake opts for a tone that is akin to the 2006 CGI movie, Monster House.
The original embraced its limitations, turning hardware hiccups into heartbeats, blocky ghosts into phantoms lurking in the corners of jagged edges. It was a mixture of creaks and blips, an uncanny ambiance composed on a basic sound chip.
Despite its lack of a compelling style, Haunted House‘s gameplay is enjoyable. It combines aspects of Hades‘ roguelite feedback loop and the retro overhead stealth gameplay of Metal Gear Solid on PlayStation. As the safe and corporate approved art style would suggest, the Rogue mechanics are on the easy side of the spectrum, never being too punishing for kids to enjoy.
Just like in Hades, there are perks and upgrades to collect while on a run. Instead of performing daring combos and devilish quicksilver dodging, the cast of ragtag kids tries to avoid phantoms, poltergeists and various kinds of paranormal demons. The thrill of evading these ghastly ghouls is memorable as Solid Snake’s heroics when staying out of sightlines and vision cones.
Haunted House‘s room-based structure, where each area presents a specific objective and rewards completion, adds a sense of purpose and progression to its exploration. Clearing tasks not only eliminates lingering phantoms but also provides valuable loot, fostering thorough exploration.
The emphasis on stealth shines in its satisfying execution. The ability to cover the light and utilise shadows adds a layer of strategic depth, rewarding calculated movement and patience. Sneaking up behind enemies for a satisfying blast feels particularly rewarding, offering a tangible payoff for careful furtiveness.
Facing threats head-on proves less engaging. The clipping issue, where monsters can overlap your character and inflict damage is unfair and frustrating. The inconsistent takedown indicator makes precise manoeuvres difficult, often leading to unwanted detection mid-setup. The reliance on light as a stealth mechanic further complicates head-on confrontations since it can be blinding when going towards the screen.
While knocking over tables and running attracts enemies, adds realism, and encourages cautious navigation, the inconsistency of hiding options can occasionally feel unfair, but that is the nature of randomly generated rooms. The inability to consistently evade pursuing monsters, despite using covert tactics, can undermine the satisfaction of successful sneaking. However, Haunted House‘s feedback loop manages to be as satisfying as the sources of inspiration it draws from.
