After being featured as one of the playable games in the Haunted PS1 Demo Disc 2021 (an itch.io collection of PC horror games styled to look like PlayStation 1 titles), Kazumi Game Studios’ Walk finally has its own Steam page. A Kickstarter page for the game was also recently set up, with a crowdfunding campaign set to launch soon.
Labeled as a “stealth-focused survival horror game,” Walk centers on a lost young girl in a dreamlike version of Japan as she avoids monsters and makes her way home. While you control the unnamed girl, the game’s fixed camera angles evoke a sense of PS1 nostalgia and the fear that you are being watched by unseen security cameras.
Combat is a no-show in Walk, as you must carefully avoid monsters and use proper resource management and intuition when making choices. While the game is devoid of people, some monsters can become allies that will help you on your journey.
Speaking of monsters, Walk is based on Japanese folklore and myths. Shrines and temples serve as save points while haunted areas need to be cleansed to provide access to shortcuts or new paths. You can also create safe zones to make adventuring less risky. Even with its folklore inspirations at the forefront, the story of Walk centers around the young girl, whose experiences will be told through cutscenes with a distinct horror flair (think static screens, Silent Hill-thick fog, and distorted lenses).
By far the most interesting gameplay aspect of Walk is its death mechanic. Instead of pulling up a “game over” screen and restarting you at a checkpoint, the game resumes from where you died and the world’s atmosphere gets darker. The paths you were once familiar with change, making it harder for you to escape. Repeated failures make the game more difficult, with the girl remembering each time you let her die. It’s a unique approach to failure – one that builds upon the horror you’re already experiencing.
With PS1-style graphics, fixed camera angles, and a soundtrack comprised of traditional Japanese instruments, Walk is shaping up to be the folkloric survival horror game the developers want it to be.
Walk is currently in development for PC (Steam). The Haunted PS1 Demo Disc 2021 which includes the playable demo for Walk is available for download on itch.io.
