The Attic: Monstrum Review

Welcome to The Attic, I’m on a boat…

Yeah, I can’t finish that.

If you follow me on twitter, then you recently saw me lose my mind when I finally escaped in the terrifying and unforgiving horror game, Monstrum. This was no easy task, and completing this game in just one of the possible scenarios made me so happy. I had a few people (Vega Goose, Baron Fang, and our friend Young Sammich) watching live via Steam (and Skype) while I played, and died, for hours. They were troopers, and googled a few times to help me figure out where I needed to go, and to get some details on the various monsters. I have never been as stressed playing a game before as I am when I play Monstrum. It’s almost unbearable, but I love it anyway. This stress is due to a variety of factors: A. you can’t save or load a game B. death is permanent, and C. diapers don’t come with your purchase.

Even with the maps, you'll still get turned around

Even with the maps, you’ll still get turned around

This procedurally-generated, unforgiving game is set on an old cargo ship in the late 1970s, and the atmosphere is one of the best I’ve ever seen. It’s suffocating, dark, blood-splattered, and creaks constantly. It is insanely easy to get lost and/or turned around in this game, and that can seriously make you want to panic after a while. The heavy metal doors groan as you open and close them, causing you to wince every time. The ship causes so much paranoia that you often think you’re hearing footsteps or a monster’s growl when you’re not. Speaking of loud noises… Your character’s mother clearly never taught him to close doors quietly, as he slams them open and shut. He also stomps around like Lurch. This inability to move quietly adds to the tension so I have to wonder if the developers used this tactic as a way to keep you on edge. He’s apparently fearless, and I constantly (ironically) want to shout at him to keep it down. Also, be on the lookout for the security cameras that are scattered throughout certain floors. If they see you, they will trigger an alarm that will cause any monster to come running.

There are three enemies in Monstrum, each with their own beautiful appearance and unique qualities that make them special. Whenever you start up a new game, you’ll have one of the following three monsters to deal with, and only ever one.

The Fiend

The Fiend

The fiend is probably my favorite. This one is part devil, part purple ghost from that library scene in Ghostbusters. What I really like about the fiend is that it causes lights to flicker, and shut off, while it is nearby. It’s a great warning sign to hide as soon as possible, and wait for the lights to come on again once it has passed. Plus, watching it float around while in hiding is actually really cool. If nothing else, it looks badass. Great monster design here.

The hunter looks like an almost-transparent alien, and will either walk or crawl on all fours as it pops out in front of you. The hunter is probably the easiest to avoid, as it’s the slowest of all of them, and I’ve never struggled to get away from it. It’s also worth noting that this is the only one I’ve seen glitch in place, but more on that later.

Lastly, we have the brute. The brute is as small and petite as you would imagine from its name. He’s like an adorable little pokemon, except he’s not. This beast of a thing is the tallest, meanest, fastest, and most stressful of them all. He’s relentless in his search for you, and is never far away. His face looks like it’s been carved in for Halloween, and a bright orange glow shoots out from within like headlights. I absolutely hate dealing with him. I’ve never gotten close to escaping with the brute, and I have to say that in comparison to the other two, he is unfairly overpowered. When he’s your man, don’t expect to be doing much other than hiding in a locker or running.

Aside from your monster of the day, you are alone on this ship. You can collect notes and audio logs along your way to learn what exactly is going on, and where everyone else is, but don’t expect to run into any other humans. Some of these notes will even point you in the direction of an escape possibility so they’re worth taking the time to pick them up.

The submarine, one of three ways to escape the ship

The submarine, one of three ways to escape the ship

There are three different ways to escape the cargo ship in Monstrum: a life raft, a submarine, and a helicopter. Each requires a number of items to repair and use as your escape. Don’t worry though, you can collect items for all of them at the same time if you wish, so you don’t need to commit to any of them. Simply choose whichever route you found items for first. Your inventory is very limited though, so it will require you to make some tough decisions on the fly. You can pick up a backpack to add a few inventory slots, but it’s not easy to find. All of these items’ locations are procedurally generated however, so don’t expect to memorize locations. The only things that stay in their places every time are the escape vehicles themselves. Where you spawn in the ship is also random each time you play, and I love that.

I’ve attempted to complete Monstrum a number of times. So many I’ve lost count, and two of the most successful endeavors were due to the hunter getting stuck, so that I was free to explore. Once, I came across it in the engine room, early on in my game. I froze in fear and watched it for a second, hoping it would move on. I saw it shaking and suddenly realized its feet were glitched into the ground. It couldn’t move, and that whole playthrough I was free to do as I pleased. I ran around as much as I wanted and he never spawned anywhere else. So why didn’t that run work out? I ran into steam… Yes, steam vents killed me *facepalm*

Hey buddy, you stuck?

Hey buddy, you stuck?

The last time I played Monstrum, and my only successful try, the hunter was my monster. After having dealt with the brute for two or three tries in a row, I was thrilled to have a new nemesis. It was much easier to explore, and find items. I suddenly had only one item left for two of the three routes. It was either going to be the helicopter or the submarine. The last thing I needed for the latter was the headlights, which I had never been able to find. Thanks to Vega Goose, and a tip he read online, I finally found them in a general area that was recommended. I couldn’t believe it! I was about to escape. My heart started to beat faster. Adrenaline was pumping and I was making my way back to the submarine when Goose also told that I would need to wait two minutes after starting up the submarine before I would be able to leave in it, all the while alarms and lights would be flashing. Apparently the monster tries to destroy the submarine control system in those two minutes, and if it does, you can’t use that route anymore and are forced to go for another. I wanted to cuss and throw things. It was late, I was tired, and I was trying to figure out how I could get the monster away while avoiding permadeath.

I finally made it back to the submarine room. I placed the headlights in, and switched the controls on. At this point my hands were sweating like crazy and I was dying to complete it. Just this once, I kept thinking over and over. The alarm was deafening in my headphones, and I heard the hunter coming closer. He entered the room, stopped near the doorway… and just stood there, comically shaking like he had in my other playthrough. The hunter was glitched. I couldn’t believe it. A part of me felt cheated that I was finally going to complete the game thanks to a glitch, but the rest of me was elated. I was exhausted and just wanted to say I had completed this game once and for all. I had certainly earned it. The time ticked down and I couldn’t believe my luck. I hopped into the submarine as soon as I could and off I went. The end of the game gives you a pretty satisfying “cinematic” of images. It’s a few drawn pictures of how you’re escaping, and the monster trying to stop you. But I got away, I did it. Thanks to a million tries, help from my friends (both in game tips and in moral support), a lot of wine, and a glitch for good measure, I did it. My fist pumped the air above me like Judd Nelson’s at the end of The Breakfast Club.

It’s worth noting here that it does support the Oculus Rift VR headset, so good luck with that if you try it. I would love to see them add different locations to this formula like an old military base with aliens, or a haunted mansion full of ghosts. As long as the right components are there, this type of game could work in numerous other settings. Friends, would I recommend Monstrum? Hell yeah, I would. It’ll make you want to rip your hair out, throw things, cuss and yell, but that first time you escape will be one the best moments you’ve had in years. Few things are as satisfying as defeating a game that has taken its toll on you. Rising up, victorious, it’s what we gamers live for.

Stay scared,
Dark Princess

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