Hey! Let's go to the shopping mall! I really need a stunning new blouse to match my chic skirt. When I think of a shopping mall, I visualize high-end boutiques, exhibiting the latest fashion trends; breathing in the tantalizing scents permeating around jam-packed restaurants; and observing the bustling activities of people passing by. But if I knew of the terror yet to come, I would be more than happy to rummage through my closet to find my old blouse.
As a little kid, I innocuously referred to a mannequin by another name: Dummy. Well, some mannequins might not be "dummies" after all. You play a paranormal detective who investigates bizarre incidents at a shopping mall in which the security guards are losing their minds — who's the dummy now? You soon find out that the mannequins are calculated, cold-blooded killers who will do anything to ensure you are their next victim.
The shopping-mall theme piqued my curiosity enough to give the free trial a spin; and I became fully immersed within the storyline, starting with the catchy opening cut-scenes that provided chilling glimpses of the sinister deeds of the evil-minded mannequins. Other reviewers panned the use of the mannequins; I think they are different from the typical malicious entities we encounter in many other HOAs.
The environments are well detailed. The music and sound effects are atmospheric, evoking feelings of trepidation during unexpected jump scares.
The gameplay, while not pioneering, is highly entertaining, with a few surprises along the way. Inventory is puzzle-like, and there are enough tasks to effect within each scene to keep you busy. The varied HOS are thematic and sometimes cleverly rendered, such as the one in which you find items by switching back and forth between varying views of the CCTV monitors. The puzzles are integrated into the storyline to solve your objectives. Some of the puzzles are slightly different from typical ones and offer some challenge. I thoroughly enjoyed the multi-tiered puzzle in which you eliminate boxes off of the board by matching them up by colors. There are two sets of collectibles waiting to be discovered throughout the locations.
Unfortunately, I cannot rate this game five stars due to the length of the main game, even though the total playtime did feel longer than their other games. However, I still enjoyed this game and hence the four stars.
