Back in June of this year, AMC and Shudder announced a game based off the hit film and TV show “Creepshow” was in the works. To be developed by PHL Collective and published by DreadXP, with creative direction by Brian Clarke from “The Mortuary Assistant.” Now, if you’re anything like us here at Truly Disturbing, we can all imagine what a game like this would be like.
If this were made in the 1980’s, it would probably be a side scrolling platformer where we play as The Creep. It would be cheesy and most likely feel like a cash grab. Just like Friday the 13th or A Nightmare on Elm Street for NES. But this isn’t the 1980’s. Creepshow: The Game plays more like an interactive comic, similar to TellTale Games’ “The Walking Dead.” The main difference between the two is player choice. Creepshow is more of a predetermined story that you’re playing, where most of the choices and outcomes seem set. Not a game where there are multiple outcomes that drastically alter events.
If you’re unfamiliar with Creepshow, you should really fix that, but I’ll do a quick explanation for you. Creepshow is an anthology series that started as a film. The original and its sequel were created by zombie mastermind George A. Romero and legendary author Stephen King. They used a fake comic book to tell tales of horror, the macabre, and death. Like Tales from the Crypt, it usually showcases ordinary people in extraordinary situations where their choices shape their lives going forward, and usually in the worst way possible.
Then in 2019, special effects master Greg Nicotero, along with AMC and Shudder, decided to reanimate the undead corpse of Creepshow and turn it into an anthology TV series that ran for three seasons. Each episode was a self-contained story that was found in the pages of a Creepshow comic.
Now that you’re brought up to speed, Creepshow: The Game uses the same formula. We’re still going to turn each page of this virtual comic and sink our teeth into all the same aspects: The stories that are told, the atmosphere they convey, how the gameplay works, and lastly, how the graphics tie it all together. So, grab your flashlights, dig yourself under the covers, and let’s all enjoy a good spooky tale.
The Story
There are three stories in the game. In the main story, you play as Danny. A young kid who lost his father to a fire at the local mall. Enlisting the help of his three friends: Mel, Liz, and Jack. They break into the destroyed and abandoned mall in hopes of finding some clue to what happened and for Danny to finally get the closure he so desperately seeks. While in the dilapidated mall, Danny ends up falling through a store floor and crashing through another store’s ceiling.
He manages to find himself with minor injuries and tries to find a way out. His excitement builds as he finds himself stuck in a comics and collectibles store. As he finds broken and burnt remains of cool items from the past, he discovers that the power still works in this part of the mall. He ends up turning on a mechanical fortune teller machine as a light source but ends up meeting an ominous man who calls himself the Reader. The Reader knows everything that Danny is doing and who he and his friends are. Danny asks him for help to get out of the situation they’re in, but The Reader requires him to read him stories so he can gain enough power to help.
Danny soon finds issues of the Creepshow comics. There are two comics in the world, and each is found in order. I won’t spoil anything here. If you’re familiar with the source material, you can guess how these stories turn out: Morbid tales of twisted love, greed, and death. The stories are bleak and have a black sense of humor that perfectly nods to the films and the show. I was genuinely and pleasantly surprised by where some of the stories end up going. The main issue here is the lack of stories. The content was minimal at best. Both stories are well done, and I understand leaving your audience wanting more. But for $20 full price on Steam, I expected a bit more to enjoy.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere is great. You get the occasional snide and funny one-liner from The Reader as the stories flesh out. The main story is probably the weakest, since all you get is the surface-level introduction of Danny and his friends. But as a vehicle to push the narrative forward and get to the titular comics, this isn’t too big of a problem. The two stories that are told do a great job of building themselves up to satisfying conclusions. You’re not going to find any dread-filled tension or jump scares in this game, but the way the tales move along are perfectly mirrored segments of the source.
Gameplay
Gameplay here is simple enough. You control the story’s main protagonist, doing the tasks at hand to push the narrative forward. There are some Easter eggs and collectibles to find, but exploration is kept to a minimum. You’re forced to contend with a static camera, but this works well in conveying the framed comic aesthetic. I found myself stuck in some minor puzzles, but after some careful thought, they were easily solvable.
Graphics
Graphically, Creepshow: The Game is a perfect recreation of the films and TV show, just animated. The cell-shaded comic art style and the vibrant technicolor pops featured in the film and show are in full display. The shocking revelations in bright red and blue are such a joy to see. It looked great on my TV in 4K as much as it did in 1080p on my Asus Xbox ROG Ally X.
Final Word
Overall, the game was an enjoyable experience, just a painfully short one. I can see them releasing more stories via DLC. But depending on how much those end up costing, this can hurt the longevity of game.
I give Creepshow the Game 3.5 Comic Books Out of 5