I remember watching Let's Play videos of the demo/beta version of Neverending Nightmares years ago. At that time, it seemed like just another unfinished horror game among the abundance of unfinished titles whose finished product would never see the light of day. Needless to say, it came as a surprise when the entirety of the game popped up on Steam unexpectedly.

You are Thomas, a man who just can't stop waking up from one nightmare, only to realize that he's in another. Things start out normal enough while exploring his house, but each time he wakes from his previous nightmare, things get a little more strange. Armed with nothing more than a single candle to disarm the long-falling shadows, Thomas must make it to the end of his stream of dreamscapes alive, and with most of his sanity in tact if at all possible. The game does feature three different endings, which gives a small replayability factor to it. Although, do not expect this experience to last longer than three hours at best.

If there's one thing I know about, it's mental illness, an affliction that this game is based around; some of my closest family members are afflicted with such bad OCD, anxiety, and depression that it would be debilitating for them without proper medication. That being said, the strongest of these factors that comes through Neverending Nightmares is depression. There are many times when Thomas connects closely with suicide, and murder, and in manners that are completely horrific. I believe that the developer could've done a better job with bringing the other mental illnesses to the forefront of Neverending Nightmares, as the plot comes off as a man who is only battling against suicide and the fear of going insane.

Of course the artwork really stands out as unique, the entire game is done in the form of an inked drawing. The only color that shows up is red, almost always in the form of blood. There are heavy scribbles to denote shadows, and sometimes they can get so thick that you cannot even see Thomas; this makes that lone candle very important. The artist did an incredible job illustrating the title, and time should be taken to enjoy this factor. The music really wraps everything up in a nice, scary little package as it creates a tense and foreboding environment that urges you to stop and not continue forward, lest you meet your demise.

For a three hour game, Neverending Nightmares is able to manufacture a deeply scarring psychological experience; one that is ultimately up to the player to interpret for themselves. There's not an abundance of narrative, and the game doesn't attempt to trick you in to jumpscares; rather it relies on the use of an overwhelming and oppressive atmosphere in conjunction with horrific discoveries, and a gruesome thought process from the main character, to put you in the shoes of someone who is trying desparately to keep their sanity. While there is a strong tone of mental illness, the title will appeal to all horror fans alike; after all, what is scarier than that which you cannot escape? The biggest downside here is the hefty $16.99 CAD pricetag, and it's strongly advised to wait for at least a 50% off sale.

The Horror Network Curator | Group Click for Gore

I remember watching Let's Play videos of the demo/beta version of Neverending Nightmares years ago. At that time, it seemed like just another unfinished horror game among the abundance of unfinished titles whose finished product would never see the light of day. Needless to say, it came as a surprise when the entirety of the game popped up on Steam unexpectedly. You are Thomas, a man who just can't stop waking up from one nightmare, only to realize that he's in another. Things start out normal enough while exploring his house, but each time he wakes from his previous nightmare, things get a little more strange. Armed with nothing more than a single candle to disarm the long-falling shadows, Thomas must make it to the end of his stream of dreamscapes alive, and with most of his sanity in tact if at all possible. The game does feature three different endings, which gives a small replayability factor to it. Although, do not expect this experience to last longer than three hours at best. If there's one thing I know about, it's mental illness, an affliction that this game is based around; some of my closest family members are afflicted with such bad OCD, anxiety, and depression that it would be debilitating for them without proper medication. That being said, the strongest of these factors that comes through Neverending Nightmares is depression. There are many times when Thomas connects closely with suicide, and murder, and in manners that are completely horrific. I believe that the developer could've done a better job with bringing the other mental illnesses to the forefront of Neverending Nightmares, as the plot comes off as a man who is only battling against suicide and the fear of going insane. Of course the artwork really stands out as unique, the entire game is done in the form of an inked drawing. The only color that shows up is red, almost always in the form of blood. There are heavy scribbles to denote shadows, and sometimes they can get so thick that you cannot even see Thomas; this makes that lone candle very important. The artist did an incredible job illustrating the title, and time should be taken to enjoy this factor. The music really wraps everything up in a nice, scary little package as it creates a tense and foreboding environment that urges you to stop and not continue forward, lest you meet your demise. For a three hour game, Neverending Nightmares is able to manufacture a deeply scarring psychological experience; one that is ultimately up to the player to interpret for themselves. There's not an abundance of narrative, and the game doesn't attempt to trick you in to jumpscares; rather it relies on the use of an overwhelming and oppressive atmosphere in conjunction with horrific discoveries, and a gruesome thought process from the main character, to put you in the shoes of someone who is trying desparately to keep their sanity. While there is a strong tone of mental illness, the title will appeal to all horror fans alike; after all, what is scarier than that which you cannot escape? The biggest downside here is the hefty $16.99 CAD pricetag, and it's strongly advised to wait for at least a 50% off sale. [h1]Rating: [b]4.5/5.0[/b] - Excellent, highly worth playing.[/h1] The Horror Network [url=http://store.steampowered.com/curator/28221963/]Curator[/url] | [url=http://steamcommunity.com/groups/thehorrornetwork]Group[/url] Click for Gore