In Rays of the Light

In our long year of collectively dealing with a worldwide pandemic, many of us have found new and unique ways of entertaining ourselves while staying as far away from other people as possible. While some of us have binge-watched everything on Netflix or learned a weird new hobby, the person at the center of the new game In Rays of the Light has come up with an idea I hadn't even considered. He has decided to visit an old, abandoned building in Russia in hopes of learning its many secrets. And while the result may be a short but effective first-person horror game with a surprisingly relevant message, I still think I did the right thing by barricading the door shut and binging every episode of BoJack Horseman.

Right from the start, In Rays of the Light is full of mysteries. Why is our hero just standing there watching static on the television? Why would he visit an abandoned office building in Russia? What happened to this place to give it that distinct 'bombed out' look? Where is everybody? These are just a few of the questions we'll uncover while searching rooms, picking up useful items and reading the many hand-written letters left by those who used to work there.

Although the first thing we pick up is a rusty pipe, it's worth mentioning right away that this is not an action game. There's no combat or platforming, In Rays of the Light is all about exploring the building and its surroundings, all while finding the right keys and items needed to open up new areas and continue the investigation. In that sense, this remake of The Light plays out like an overly simplistic graphic adventure, complete with a scavenger hunt and a number of puzzles to solve.

If nothing else, this game nails the atmosphere and mood of this empty part of Russia. Even without jump scares and gore, the horror elements work because you are fully invested in the eerie location. There wasn't much of a setup or path to follow, yet I immediately wanted to explore every part of the office building compound looking for clues. There's a sense of dread and sorrow filling every room and hallway, and the letters only help to add context and fear. I was on the edge of my seat with tension for most of the game, yet I was never fully sure why. A lot of this is because of the effective world-building and creepy music that helps to push this game over the finish line.

Although it clocks in at only an hour in length, I would still call In Rays of the Light a slow-burn. It takes its time and sets up the pieces, allowing you a chance to live and breathe in this world before the weight of the game bears down on you. There is one absolutely amazing section that is more frightening and impactful than almost any other game on the market, something that is made all the more disturbing when you understand the full context of the situation.

That said, I did find the game's ultimate message to be a bit heavy-handed. Don't get me wrong, I ended up agreeing with much of what developer Sergey Noskov says in this parable, but there's no doubt that it's laid on real thick at the end. It's not subtle at all, to the point where the game flat-out tells you where it's coming from in one of the two endings. The added exposition felt wholly unnecessary, since the rest of the game does a good job cluing you into what is going on.

Click For the Full Picture Archive

It's also worth mentioning that the gameplay is really sluggish and slow, almost as if our hero is constantly walking through molasses. He'll easily get stuck on the slightest curb, requiring us to use the jump button and some very questionable times. There's a run button, which you'll need to use almost every time we go upstairs. You'll need to gain a little momentum whenever it's time to go up an incline, which is incredibly frustrating when exploring the building's multiple floors.

I was also disappointed at how little there is to do during this adventure. There aren't very many items to pick up or story beats to hit, so it won't take you very long before you've seen and done everything. In fact, I suspect it's possible (if not easily doable) to complete this game in well under a half hour. The longest part of the game involves scavenging for keys, coins and other important items. If you can find those early on, then there's a clean path to the end that will feel almost too straight-forward. Even with the slow burn, I wish the developers would have added more to do and collect. The credits begin to roll just as the game is picking up steam and getting good.

On the other hand, In Rays of the Light does not overstay its welcome. It tosses you into a world and gives you just enough time to poke around. By the time you're bored, the game is over and you're off to speed run it for the second ending (and easy achievements). Even with its faults, I'm going to look back on this game fondly, mostly because of the length and impactful story. It's priced at a mere $8, which isn't bad for a 90-minute experience that will stick with you long after you've deleted it off the system. That's more than I can say about a lot of much longer games I've played lately.