preface

Conscript was made by Jordan Mochi of Catchweight studio, with Kickstarter funding. It is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch. I played the PC Steam version. I've completed the game, it took me little over 20 hours to beat.

Review – No Spoilers

Simply put, Conscript is a Survival-Horror game made by a single developer, Jordan Mochi.
A very impressive feat, considering the results. Visually, the game is intentionally dated with it's PSX low resolution and 2D graphics, which only adds to it's atmosphere in my eyes. I being of that vintage myself, I couldn't help but be charmed by it's looks. Nostalgia is part & parcel with indie horror games like this. See itch.io for similar games.

Once you begin to play, you will see elements of other titles you may, or may not have played throughout the years. Inventory management, conservation of supplies and the occasional item combination along with puzzles to solve; backtracking par excellence, survival management galore. Combat is not paramount, but their seems to be a lot of it. Fighting is unavoidable at times. To call it a thoroughbred Survival-Horror game would be incorrect. Resident Evil 4 comes to mind in this regard.

At first it was hard to classify this game, primarily because of it's subject matter. Their are no supernatural elements of any kind, which surprised me, mainly because of the games genre and subject matter. Although it does take liberties with game logic and alters elements here and there, but beyond that, it is fundamentally a game about war, and the horrors it produces. The emphasis this game is trying to convey is that we are the monsters, and war is our Silent hill of sorts, A hell of our own design. Refreshing is the word I'd use, mainly because the staple villain of any Horror game was 'The Monster', a ghoulish creature that had no reason not to kill you. A walking barricade with no sense of free will or survival Instincts.

The enemies here are human beings, all of which have backstories, families and friends. None were evil but were made to do evil acts, all in the name of king and country. A point made as blunt as the weapon you bash the enemies heads in with. The story is simple but very cathartic. Flashbacks filled with fond nostalgia dot the game, amidst thoughts of the family home, love and the summer country breeze; the green fields of France among the apple trees in bloom. It is poignant and moving at times. It creates a juxtaposition of darkness and light, heaven and hell.

In the trenches, bloody soil and darkness seeps through every crack and crevice. Sounds of death and murder echo in the distance and artillery shelling whistles on the ears; it is remarkably violent and dark. For it's lack of color, it makes it up in stark bleakness. It's almost in black & white for how limited the color scheme is. Red being the color that dashes your eyes often as it contrasts against the darkened hell scape. The presentation is stellar and jarring at the same time. All quiet on the western front crossed bred with Resident Evil.

8.5/10⭐ – A great game about war and family, darkness and light, hope and the death of innocence. A Fantastic game that hits very hard, considering the times we're in. One of the best Survival Horror games I've ever played.

“War makes murderers out of otherwise decent people, All wars and all decent people” - Ben Ferencz