Notably inspired by the work of Hans Ruedi Giger (dad of the Alien creature), Scorn is a strange video game in the form of a journey to the end of hell. Literally as figuratively.
Swiss artist who disappeared in 2014, Hans Ruedi Giger imagined the frightening creature of the film Alien, the eighth passenger, directed by Ridley Scott. His biomechanical works continue to be applauded today. We take the video game as proof Scorn, available since October 14, 2022 on PC, Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X (and in the Xbox Game Pass). The developers were openly inspired by his paw, as well as that of Zdzisław Beksiński – whose paintings look just as much like nightmares. Such a marriage can only promise hell.
Scorn is an atypical video game on many points. Its art direction, conceived as a tribute to two talented men who brought horror to light, is repugnant. This visual barrier stands in front of an experience that we cannot lock into any box. In many ways, Scorn looks like a failed attempt. We constantly catch a glimpse of a plot, but it is difficult to guess its outcome. It’s a something else difficult to advise, a UFO which deserves warnings. And, above all, a real video game test.
Scorn forgets itself in its proposals
Scorn begins like an auteur film without dialogue or indication. We are released in environments all more disgusting and austere than the others. We sometimes have the impression of navigating in a giant intestine, where phallic shapes, labyrinthine corridors, futuristic architectures, organic clusters, mechanical constructions rub shoulders… Scorn is the very definition of strange and, on this point, the parallel with Hans Ruedi Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński is obvious. They’d probably be proud to see their legacy brought to life in a beautifully crafted video game (it’s really beautiful), without any concessions on the gore effects – bordering on emetic. To venture into Scornyou have to have a strong stomach.
On the puzzle part, Scorn disappoints
At the question, ” What do we do in Scorn? “, we will be tempted to answer” Good question, thanks for asking. », as the emphasis on the cryptic is pushed to its climax. It is a form of resourcefulness that settles in front of this proposal, which is first of all akin to a walking simulator — exploration — then scatters into side-scrolling action sequences. We can recognize its ultra-heavy atmosphere, which will discourage more than one. But we won’t be able to forgive him this suffering in front of some grueling gameplay choices. They are linked to the desire to weigh the hardship of each gesture, accomplished by a dying body in a cold realism.
On the puzzle part, Scorn disappoints. We expected tricky puzzles between two walks in settings where the bodies mix. Instead, we end up with a race for interaction, which considerably reduces the potential for reflection. Worse, you can miss a key element and go around in circles for long minutes. Some passages are still worth the detour, provided you like blood, sadism, graphic violence, viscera and flesh. In short, horror at its rawest.
Scorn could have settled for being a Myst neurotic and disturbed, giving birth to an adventure repulsive on the form, but restful on the bottom. Alas, the developers had to give in to the sirens of the enemies to face. When Scorn take off his costume walking simulator to become a painful shooter, it covers itself with ridicule.
Above all, it reveals the flaws in its gameplay, far too heavy to support phases where you have to react quickly. Changing weapons is annoying in addition to being long, healing is torture, replenishing ammunition is a nightmare and shooting is not exhilarating. This is all the more true since the creatures prove to be too aggressive and resistant in comparison. At least the biomechanical arsenal makes it possible to pay a little more homage to Hans Ruedi Giger: one of the weapons echoes the second jaw of the Xenomorph from Alien.
I almost gave up more than once while playing Scorn. I finally finished it after a little over four hours, with the strange feeling of having ventured into a strange place. I’m happy to have finished it after having gone through all the states, until… drying out of any form of emotion. But I will never go there again, nor would I recommend it to anyone.
The verdict
We liked
- Aesthetically, it is successful
- Besides, it’s beautiful
- A few puzzles to remember
We liked less
- The fights, why?
- Artistic direction that will divide
- It’s really disgusting
At least we can recognize Scorn its ambition to be unlike any other game. As an offshoot of the works of Hans Ruedi Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński, it is successful. Aesthetically, it plunges us into a nightmare where every gesture, every step looks like an ordeal. In exploration and the feeling of navigating the unknown, Scorn shines. Alas, he is quickly overtaken by his demons.
Beyond the non-existent narration, Scorn transforms his walking simulator into a harrowing ordeal, due to video game mechanics unsuited to what it seeks to accomplish. The symbol of this observation is undoubtedly the action part, which has nothing to do there and, worse, annoys us until we finally get out of this very immersive journey. Shame.