Hide and Shriek (2016)

Hide and Shriek is a simple and fun 1 vs 1 game with lots of scares and a decent technical aspect. Perfect for Halloween.

A fun game but can get repetitive after a while. The game needs more levels to hold the players attention longer but playing against random people can actually make it a little more interesting as each one tends to play a little different.

To say that it’s repetitive would be akin to calling an online shooter or a sports game repetitive: whilst it absolutely is, it all comes down to whether or not the fun can sustain the repetition. I can’t say it did, really, though being reminded of my old history teacher was scary enough I suppose.

Hide and Shriek is a surprisingly fun little game. It couples a clever premise with charming ideas and an abundance of possibilities. Attempting to track an invisible opponent, who is just as capable at casting spells and setting traps, can also get really tense. Hearts are liable to race as the time ticks down, and one of the players is a shriek away from winning (or losing). There's a clear gap between professionals and amateurs, though, so it could get annoying for anyone new to the competition. The visibility curse could also stand to be nerfed, if not outright removed. It makes spotting and shrieking just a little too easy. Altogether, this is a game that's simply more enjoyable when played with a friend. Startling a random person halfway across the country is amusing, but scaring a best friend is just plain magical.

At such a low price and with such a capacity for emergent gameplay it is hard to not recommend 'Hide and Shriek'. The fun is situational, though, and is best played with a friend, with comms, and with only a few matches at a time so as to not dilute its magic. Under these circumstances it's a riot.