The days of the ‘90s were not short of terrifying moments, particularly in the world of gaming. The era where PlayStation (PS1) games Silent Hill and Resident Evil made waves in the survival horror genre we cherish today, Crow Country, the upcoming horror by London-based developer SFB Games, takes us back to that thrilling time.
Crow Country, set in the 90s, challenges players to forego the first rule of Surviving Horror Stories 101 by exploring an abandoned theme park. When the titular Crow Country park shuts down after the mysterious disappearance of its founder, Mara Forest, the protagonist, heads inside seeking answers. A decadent mixture of gruesome monsters, tricky puzzles, and PS1-style graphics adorned throughout the game pays tribute to the survival horror genre of the past.
Adam Vian, the creative director behind SFB Games, states that Crow Country’s biggest influences may come as “no surprise” to players. “I made a game that’s a bit more horrible than Resident Evil and a bit more video-gamey than Silent Hill,” he says. However, another critically acclaimed PS1 game – Final Fantasy 7 – also influenced Crow Country thanks to its “dreamlike” background art and pixel-y character models.
Besides delivering a nostalgic visual aesthetic, using old-school visuals enabled SFB Games – a small indie studio founded by Adam and his brother Tom Vian – to steer clear of competing with ornate, big-budget releases of eminent developers. “The appeal of PS1-era horror is a case of less is more,” Vian explains. The genre is “really healthy” right now, with terrifying follow-ups such as Amnesia: The Bunker and Alan Wake 2, along with remakes of Dead Space and Resident Evil 4 being in the line of some of the best games of 2023.
Crow Country’s popularity has been assisted by a resurgence in survival horror’s recognition. Reports suggest the genre is “really healthy” right now. As the genre continues to grow, Vian is “nervously optimistic” about next month’s launch. “It’s still surreal to me that Crow Country is suddenly a real game that people are playing, forming opinions about, and looking forward to,” he says. Crow Country launches on May 9th on PC, PS4 and PS5.
Whether it’s the nostalgia element or the broader resurgence of popularity in the survival horror genre, Crow Country’s early hype looks set to continue
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