Demo Friend - Haunted PS1 Demo Disc 2021 p.2

The suspiciously-higher-than-32-bit horror demonstrations continue!
0:01:41 - Still Ridge
0:46:51 - Risu
1:00:40 - The Chameleon
1:31:22 - Loveland
1:52:44 - [Echostasis]
2:24:52 - Walk
2:40:34 - Janitor Bleeds
3:01:42 - That Which Gave Chase
Twitch stream with chat: / 970929752

[@terryeubanks8797]

Coming back and watching Echostasis after the Mothered "demo", it's simply amazing how much planning has gone into this universe, and how much work he's done to tell the story perfectly.

[@ClockworkChainsaw]

I really wanted him to go back in and write "sunset"

[@terryeubanks8797]

@@ClockworkChainsaw Me too! It pops up at the end of the Echo, and I'd love to see what the computer has to say.

[@jtlego1]

I really have to wonder just who the hell we’re playing as in the Echostasis demo. Are we playing some version of Red that got abducted by HER and is now being used as an attack dog/scout/infiltrator for HER to steal more Cores? Some other poor sap who got yanked into Echostasis? There definitely seems to be a few duplicates of Red running around (metaphorically speaking) thanks to Enigma Corp’s experiments (both for the RADE test during The Enigma Machine and for potentially throwing a wench into HER’s plans during MOTHERED: Home).

[@Jokoko2828]

Chameleon has to have one of the most satisfying punches I've seen in a game.

[@LordQuadros]

Echostasis is one of those rare examples of a game inspired by PS1-style that definitely couldn't be done by the PS1, but the spin it puts on the style visually is compelling enough that it absolutely has its own unique appeal. Definitely interested in seeing what a full version of that looks like.

[@Crowley9]

That is my favourite of this bunch so far. Very Philip K. Dick, and some of it managed to make me genuinely unsettled.

[@mspeter97]

Look for The Enigma Machine it's a game made by the same guy, it has the same charm

[@night-n-gale3037]

the sound design in walk impressed me because it managed to send chills down my spine just constantly. the look of it, too. i love the way the girl you play looks nicely low polygonal, but she also looks like a papercraft person, too. just really cool. still ridge had issues, but its not often you see ppl focusing on black characters in horror games, espec as main characters. if it can break the reins of its Callbacks, it could be somethin. since it's a solo project, i can respect the work. video games are hard to make.

[@UltimateCarl]

Chameleon is just Control with a Burt Reynolds mod. Which is extra funny since Control is already just an unofficial SCP Foundation game.

[@ImpendingRiot83]

Satoshi Kon’s film Paprika featured a main character that’s a dream therapist who moves through other people’s dreams (and occasionally memories via dreams), so that could be another reference for Still Ridge.

[@GuntherSchmidl]

Risu's camera transitioning was very interesting, don't think I've seen that before.

[@lipsontajgordongrunk4328]

Nier Automata/Replicant actually have that style of transitions when entering rooms/buildings etc. where it shifts the view so you can see things from a different angle

[@Blues_Light]

Didn't expect a Loveland Frog inspired game.

[@retroinspect]

I just wanted to say that bougie has been in black vernacular since the 60s. Every African American *over* 30 knows what it means lol.

[@yarrowsatelier]

sgf saying the f word is so disorienting. I forget he never really swears until he does.

[@Kaucukovnik666]

52:50 Dropped scissors in the piano? What's the problem? You just got a prepared piano, ready to play some insane modern jazz...

[@nemotoad9315]

Nearly 200 minutes of SGF goodness

[@TMMQuicksilver]

I have a respect for Still Ridge by actually having a character who is aware and responds to their surroundings, but yes it is a little heavy on the references. But, my God, a therapist character who is aware of the repetition and is frustrated with it?! I have to give it a thumbs up on principle. It's close to my dream game. I want to play a Silent Hill esque game with a psychiatrist who is perpetually annoyed by the town's amateurish attempts at conjuring inner demons. "No, no, no, that imagery is ALL WRONG! For heaven's sake, a pyramid isn't NEARLY phallic enough to deal with my sexual inadequacy issues!" E: SGF... I love you but that is a wholly inadequate "Shiiiiit" you uttered. You'll never be Maryland State Senator at this rate!

[@Cubelarooso]

Better than the last video almost across the board. Walk has been the best so far by far, but [Echostasis] also bears special mention.

[@amiableapparition]

Looks like [Echostasis] might scratch the itch of dreamscape horror games that AI the somnium files failed to do so. Gonna keep an eye out for that one

[@ivant.w.9152]

Maybe Omar is just a big Wreckless Eric fan.

[@tim.dedopulos]

I was genuinely thinking "The wife was called STATIC? She must have been a hacker."

[@StaticRSC]

Ugh. What's up with the mess in Loveland Cove? Does a *baby* live there?

[@mspeter97]

Echostasis was awsome

[@Klarden]

"Would you have a gym on the second floor?" Mine was on the fourth. ._.

[@milla8164]

I'd love sgf to play the full versions of some of these when they drop. Still ridge with all of it's references was surprisingly charming and had that exact level of jank sgf (and I) tends to like.

[@foxyshibata3783]

The Chameleon, That Which Gave Chase, and Janitor Bleeds were the ones that interested me most from the trailer. Lets see how they hold up!

[@foxyshibata3783]

Reviews! Still Ridge - If you're going to blatantly do the PT hallway then I guess maybe filling it with references everywhere might be the best way to go. Take it all in stride. The stream of references made a strange atmosphere of a weird cultural soup. I havn't seen a PT rip in ages so it didn't feel that overdone imedietly, and the last chunk set up an interesting premise. I could see it contuining that path, doing looping chunks of other people's dreams. Might be harder to pull off when you don't have, yknow. PT to blueprint it. but, I'm optimistic so far. Risu - An entierly mediocre but entierly servicable Silent Hill rip until suddendly a Mario Odessy bossfight appears in the gym and the music goes fucking screamo on you. Absolutely wild. Give me more of that and I'll roll with it. The Chameleon - Perhaps it's just SGF's playstyle but this didn't catch me as much as I thought it would. I love Hawwain Shirts. I love Stealth-Action games. I love Hitman. I think the disguise function is a little too energy heavy. I like the concept, but it needs tweaking to be good. Loveland - They really fuckin nailed the atmosphere. As someone from the south, I've heard those frogs that sound like they're everywhere, been in those shitty trailers, it all felt unsettling. Frogsnot's a bit out there to the point of it being a little comedic though. I'd like to see where it goes, but, the demo didn't give much gameplay insight but I'd be happy to see where it goes. Echostasis (brackets) - Now this is oozing with style, isn't it? The concept makes me think a little of Somnium Files but, without your fun eyeball companion to take the edge off. Explore dreams to find keywords to figure out what's going on? I like it, it seems fleshed out in concept and very fleshed out in world. This nearly took the crown that Lorns Lure currently wears, but Androids and Parkour hit a niche with me so this reigns second place. Walk - It reminded me of the lighthouse game. The choice in camera angles produces a lonely feeling. It feels like everything is far away. I think the developers know what atmosphere they're going for with this game and I look forward to seeing it fully realized! Janitor Bleeds - For some reason this reminds me of Spooky's House. I can't place why. It looks fine- It didn't really jump out at me in any particular way, though. That Which Gave Chase - Meh. It doesn't really give you a lot to go on. Trudge through a foggy nothingness, jump-cut, trudge, jump-cut, trudge. I give it a meh. It feels like it took 'less is more' too seriously because there's nothing here.

[@AllisonIsLivid]

Still Ridge seemed like it was gonna be another disappointing PT clone thing, but actually, I think the PT trappings are holding it back. It seems well written for a PS1 era game, and I think it's got good promise. PT is burying the lead. It could stand a few less references too. I think it's biggest failing right now is how much referential stuff it's doing when it could stand on it's own. Walk, I feel, is a brilliant visual metaphor for common math anxiety, or math phbobia, coupled with a striking second blow at the latch-key child and their plight in the modern world, and thus we are haunted and tormented by the perception of our errant parent figure, who in many ways we wish to be seen by, but in many others, fear what unknown experiences it will bring, thus is our insufficient relationship with them that we have no established norms between us save one - when Mommy DOES deign to notice you, you'd better have finished your typing practice, and you'd BETTER have gotten a good grade. We know we should avoid raising her ire if we're going to get her attention yet... at least the scolding is communication. At least we know she is thinking about us. If this is the only way to get her attention, then surly this attention is good, right? Better than nothing? So why even DO the typing assignment? ...yes, truly dark stuff. But deeply, deeply meaningful. No simple exploitation, a CONVERSATION about these true-to-life themes, which resonates with the viewer - and one assumes the player - long after the experience. Quite!

[@pigpenandpaper]

I agree, the game has enough of its own voice that I'm interested in hearing how this story plays out. Maybe it will drift from the references as it progresses

[@ivant.w.9152]

Totally agree. I had pretty much written the game off thanks to all the references and call-backs, but then at the very end of the demo it felt like the game was really coming into its own. Especially the racial component, which is something I can't think any other horror games have tackled. Love to see the developer get more confident with what looks like a unique, interesting story and drop some of the needless references.

[@Idelacio]

I've almost stepped on a frog before, that feeling of panicked squirming under your foot... o_o

[@FlamingLiberalSA]

So does Tom Selleck get to sue the Chameleon devs for likeness rights or...

[@DrymouthCWW]

I just luuuuv this

[@shokatsuryoukoumei]

Nice. Lots of interesting games.

[@Crowley9]

Therapist going into other peoples' dreams? Have you seen the movie Dreamscape by any chance? 1:10:00 Signed, Amazon Management

[@LadyMapi]

Or the game Dreamkiller?

[@roecocoa]

43:03 It took you to The Vortex Colon Quantum Gate Two!

[@night-n-gale3037]

Coming back here from Mothered Home. the sarcophagus - the coloration is different, but that is 100% liana's statue. the posing on it and everything is precise. 'memory re-established. admin privileges reverted to original owner.' all is one, Trilateral Communion. further at the end. the thing being said - i wouldn't miss this sunset, it's so peaceful here. mothered again. but then Her says 'and yet they chose to abandon this place?' there's a lot of little things.

[@ClockworkChainsaw]

And sunset was in brackets

[@Maioly]

Walk has an alt.ending Dunno how to get it Something on the tv

[@roecocoa]

Is there a word for Things that are almost, But not quite, haiku?

[@winmanzerodeaths776]

@@roecocoa Hiku.

[@StiWiiRage]

"Omar got a gun" to make a stupid reference and saying you missed shooting chainman Also the dinner looks very similar to the one from Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy

[@Jokoko2828]

CYCLES OF GUILT

[@MessiahProphylaxis]

Yo Omar comin'

[@mrsnrub37]

J B Harold Murder Club LP is happening soon I assume

[@Read_Hard]

2:42:55 made me spit out my drink! Got a new subscriber! 👍

[@Cubelarooso]

2:11:30 Instead of rushing through everything, try looking around for some Timies.

[@night-n-gale3037]

if you search for 726564 within the computer, it says 'forbidden entity.' sunset was in brackets as well. "A term used to describe software that is retired and thus, rendered obsolete. it seems as though nothing is safe from this fate. that's entropy for you.' trilateral also gives something - it's a massive amount of code. or something. i'm not totally sure.

[@night-n-gale3037]

HOWEVER, you can enter 726564 into the dreamscape id menu. and i think that is straight up Her.

[@night-n-gale3037]

OHHHH ok so in windowed mode, the title of the window is [HER] - [BIOS], so if you ask the terminal about bios, it says hit f11 on start up on a comp - so i did it on the demo program and it pulls up a 'HYPERREALITY ENGINE REBUILD - HER STATUS' page. status decontaminated, sentience awaiting reactivation, no cores located and - [trilateral] progress. 0 human cores located. 3 cores required for ritual. demos - demo. after the demo is completed, the system log updates status as 'rebuilding' , core located, 'dreamscape status sunset'. human cores located 1. additional core availability estimate - summer 2021. i don't think that was intended as a release date for echostasis of course - i think that was the release date plan for mothered. it didn't meet that /exactly/ but mothered came out in october, i believe. 'cores required for ritual' liana huh. there's a lot going on here and it's all SUPER COOL.

[@warrentb1]

Everyone gives what they can and takes what they need eh? Sounds familiar somehow

[@doyleharken3477]

42:18 you'd be surprised how often you stumble over people talking about bougie affectations, especially if you run into online marxists

[@derecksheppard5913]

Still Ridge was insufferable except for the stupid monster...

[@seeyatrap]

Yeah, It felt like "Ready player one" but in game form. Nothing original, just bunch of thing that was "borrowed" from much better games.

[@justcody4615]

The dialogue in Still Ridge or whatever is such a mess. I've never thought to myself "People dont talk like this" so many times as I've followed with "Black People dont talk this" followed by "Why does he only speak in ebonics when hes talking about white people" in my entire life

[@dakkadakka9877]

Boy there are some absolute shit shows this time in the demo lol

[@fckgo0gle41]

Really funny and sad that the one of the too few people that seemed to get the concept of making a HORROR demo for a HORROR compilation was the foreigner that seems to just understand passing English. "Hey Kazumi we are making a horror PS1 demo compilation, do you want submit one? *translated Japanese* "O of course, i would be honored, many thanks for the opportunity" *submits Walk which perfectly fits all criteria* also "Hey English speaking indie game makers do you want to submit a game for our PS1 horror demo compilation? "Hmph i suppose i will, i could use the exposure and art especially MY art needs to be seen by the filthy unwashed masses" *submits "games" that barely qualify as horror..... if at all ....in addition to pseudo-intellectual whining drivel of a social and political nature that has the subtlety and wit of a hammer to the face.* It is quite sad but i suppose this is to be expected of many western and/or indie game devs....unfortunately. Thankfully the games seem to get quite a bit better from now on.

[@fckgo0gle41]

Wow...Still Ridge was pretty bad. Just a completely unapologetic PT rip off with almost no creativity or originality whats o ever and the only thing that could be considered as such has some dumb dream crap and a weird race angle...ugh. Still i have to reluctantly give at least half a credit for at least STAYING IN THE FKING HORROR GENRE (ya know from being a PT rip off of course) unlike many of these other worthless entries in these "haunted" demo discs