Uncanny Valley

We're told at the start of Uncanny Valley that every decision we make will somehow change the story. With that in mind, I expected to be making a series of morally ambiguous choices in the same vein as a Telltale adventure game. But the decisions you make here aren't as black and white. They can involve everything from showing up late to work to giving a homeless man your spare change. This is a game where practically everything you do will affect the outcome, in some truly horrifying ways.

Without giving too much away, this is the story of Tom, a regular guy who takes a security position at what seems like an abandoned building. He's a little surprised that the facility is out in the middle of nowhere and confused by all the secrecy, but he needs the money and isn't about to complain. He knows that he needs to get to work on time and sweep the halls for intruders. It's a simple job ... or so he thinks.

At first this seems like any other job, but Tom's curiosity will get the better of him. He'll spend his nights reading the office email and trying to figure out what's in the basement. His fellow guard warns him that there's nothing interesting down there, but Tom isn't convinced. He's desperate to get to the bottom of this mystery, even if that means breaking into other people's apartments for clues.

This is a hard game to talk about, since most of the action happens in the basement. What I can say is that the first few days are deliberately paced, setting you up for a truly tense finale. But I can't say much about that, since so much of it is tied into the twists and reveals. What I will say is that the second half is a lot more exciting than the first, and the payoff is definitely worth it.

The action plays out like a cross between a side-scrolling 2D action game and a point and click adventure. We're able to pick up items and use them to solve simple puzzles, as well as gain clues to the mystery in the basement. Of course, how you use the items is important to the story, and making slight changes can affect how it all plays out.

Unfortunately, I found the interface to be one of the weakest parts of Uncanny Valley. I'm not a fan of clicking and dragging the items around, especially since it's not always clear where they go. It usually isn't a big deal, but it can be frustrating when an action fails because you aren't perfectly lined up. It's a little easier on the PS Vita, though that's not going to help PlayStation 4 owners.

On that note, I also have issues with the font used throughout the game. I know it seems silly to complain about how text looks on the screen, but the font they use makes it hard to read certain words. Too many letters look identical, which meant I had to re-read emails several times to make sure I knew what was happening.

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I have a hunch the slow start will leave some gamers cold. This is not a game with a lot of fast-paced action, especially early on. That's not to say the game lacks excitement, but it definitely takes its time before showing you its hand. In some ways I really liked that, though it's not for everybody. The most action you see in the first few days comes from the terrifying nightmares Tom suffers when he sleeps.

Despite the deliberate pace and simplistic look, I enjoyed the horror and mystery in Uncanny Valley. It has some great twists and turns, as well as an intriguing story you'll want to see through to the end. I do think the price point is a bit high for what you get in this package, but you'll need to replay it a bunch of times to see all the gruesome endings. This is a fun horror/adventure with an interesting setting and compelling premise. I'm not sure I really enjoyed Uncanny Valley, but I definitely admire what it's doing.