I can’t think of anything more awkward than being a reviewer unsure about a game. What use do you serve by preaching on a metaphorical fence? Nothing, you might as well be a crazed lunatic screaming into the void about how the video game industry is marching to its own demise. What title has sent this old doomsayer into a destructive spiral about his own purpose, you ask? Scorn. The more I reflect on Scorn the more I personally like it, but it also becomes harder to recommend. So I will stand atop my soapbox and break down my thoughts on this divisive title. Hopefully, I will regain my purpose and find the right audience for Scorn.
Now, I usually open a review with a small recap of a game’s story. I find this helps give a lot of context to the game. Describing Metal Hellsinger as a rhythm first-person shooter doesn’t quite paint the same picture. You get more out of saying Metal Hellsinger is about a fallen angel attempting to dethrone the devil and escape Hell. If we have learned anything from the MCU, it’s that people are drawn to characters. We are sucked into the drama that comes with their flaws and quirks. Just look at how many people love the Doomslayer from the Doom games despite him hardly saying a word.
Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be much story within Scorn. None of the characters you play as or interact with are given names. No lines are spoken because most of the characters don’t have working mouths. They all just moan and yelp as bodily harm is afflicted on them. Off the bat, if you prefer a traditional structure to storytelling, Scorn might not be for you.
Sometimes, a story is more focused on the world rather than the characters within it. Scorn definitely has a compelling world being an alien facility drenched in this imagery of man and machine fused together. Inspired by the works of H.R. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński, the world of Scorn is dark, eerie, and a little erotic at times. Statues and wall art depicting a biomechanical means of reproduction are littered throughout the world of Scorn. Early on, I often wondered what society would create some grand monuments and then leave them to rot. Much like the mute characters, Scorn doesn’t seem interested in answering this question. Initially, I was annoyed with this, but as time has gone on, I recognize no answer could sate my curiosity, and thus focusing on the game’s presentation was definitely the smarter choice.
I know what you’re thinking, Doomsayer, if Scorn is light on story, surely it makes up for it in the gameplay. Not quite, my followers. Many people have described Scorn as an environmental puzzle game similar to Myst. You wander around labyrinthine scapes looking for puzzle objects to poke and prod at. You will get lost in these sceneries as the constant biomechanical architecture can start to blend together over time. I can’t decide if getting their players lost was an intentional or accidental decision. I found the dizzying environment worked side by side with the game’s oppressive atmosphere, but players who get frustrated when lost might not appreciate this approach to level design.
When you do correctly navigate Scorn’s mazes, you will typically be greeted with a wide array of puzzles. Many of them include turning various dials or rotating these Rubik cubes like contraptions. On their own, they could be considered forgettable, but completing all these challenges will unlock more of the level opening up more of the winding networks within Scorn. An early example of this is you run into a door that requires two hands to open, so you run around this labyrinth factory that awakens this malformed human trapped in an almost egg-like shell. Rather than free them from their prison, the machinery that you brought to life, kills the malformed human but leaves behind his arm that you can use to unlock the door. Grotesque and haunting.
You might be asking if puzzles are the only gameplay tool in Scorn’s toolbox. You might recall an old trailer for Scorn that made the game out to be a traditional FPS survival horror experience similar to Silent Hill. Unfortunately, Scorn’s combat seems more like an afterthought or an obligation to those old trailers. The weapons, while powerful, feel clunky to shoot and reload. If an enemy ambushes you, your best plan of action is to hope the last checkpoint was close by. A lot of the enemies have attack patterns that are hard to read, and frankly, you are better off trying to outrun enemies than standing your ground. It’s not just the enemies you have to contend with; occasionally your weapon will just help itself to some of your health. You are certainly not coming to Scorn for its combat.
Some of you might not be surprised by Scorn’s frustrating combat as many survival horror games don’t strive for heart-pounding action. Many might be disappointed in this if they were hoping for something closely resembling the initial trailers. I definitely believe consumers should be able to experience a game however they see fit, but I also think a game should hold true to a creator’s vision. The developers of Scorn didn’t want to focus on combat and I respect that. If you wanted a more in-depth combat system, then I don’t think Scorn is for you.
There is one boss fight within Scorn, and I honestly think it is well-designed. I know many reviews group them together with the awful combat, but I think they buck most of the Scorn combat trends. The boss mainly attacks with a grenade launcher that you can easily strafe or hide behind cover to avoid. The boss’s weak point becomes exposed when he tries to reload encouraging you to press your advantage. I don’t think this boss will change anyone’s mind on Scorn, but he could serve as a building block for a better first-person shooter if the devs choose to make one.
If there is anything that is going to sell you on Scorn it has to be the atmosphere. This isn’t your typical wandering in the fog hoping not to stumble into an enemy. There are no jump scares in Scorn. Just the oppressive feeling of isolation. The atmosphere here is more like looking at abandoned malls or buildings. To see an area that was teaming with life left to rot always makes me shudder. To see it happen in an alien setting such as Scorn is something my mind cannot shake. Scorn might be for you if this a horror you can get behind.
If anything I have mentioned has piqued your interest, there is one more thing I should mention before you rush to download Scorn: the price. I think it is clear that this is occupying the niche of gaming that I enjoy, but I cannot recommend this game at forty dollars. That is asking for too much even for me. Even marked down to twenty-six dollars feels a bit steep for me. I don’t normally talk about game prices, but I can’t help but feel like most people will have buyer’s remorse if they buy Scorn. If you want to play Scorn, please get an Xbox Gamepass and play it there. I know I have praised Gamepass so much that many might think I am sponsored by them, but it is quite the contrary. As I have gotten older, my appreciation for these smaller niche titles has grown. Maybe I am evolving into an art snob, but I truly believe titles like Scorn have their best chance on Gamepass. It’s much easier to sell someone on an unusual title when they are also getting Microsoft’s AAA titles included in this incredible deal. I know Microsoft will alter this deal eventually, but for now, I still believe it is the best way to get access to these riskier games.
At this point, I don’t think I am on the fence about Scorn. It is probably clear that I am into it, but I also acknowledge I am into strange art house-styled games. Some might not be and I think I outlined what to expect from this title. Times like this I think about a quote from the Gamer Maker’s Toolkit by Mark Brown:
“Instead of making a game that you hope many people will like – it’s sometimes better to create a game that you know a few people will love.”
Scorn is definitely not a game designed for everyone to like. It is strange, obtuse, and a little harrowing. However, it has sat with me since I last played it, and slowly I have come to realize I might be one of the few who love it. Maybe you will too.
