The Cecil is a nice hotel in Downtown Los Angeles with affordable costs and lofty dreams that the great depression put a stop to. It’s also where the Journey happens to begin, released on April 3rd. You start this hotel horror knowing your biggest fear is not the checkout times or the angry staff in the reception line, no, no. Your biggest fear, my dear John, I mean, reader, is just what is lurking in these halls, things that make you ask important questions like Where did you find your vacation booker? And where is my wife?  When will something else horrible happen?

In This World, Hotel Haunts You

The Cecil is a scary place, and it means to remind you of that fact just about as frequently as it possibly can, with twisted, melting walls and creatures hunting you in the darkest bits, relentless for even just a little tiny chance to tear you to shreds. Your missing wife, Sara, is in quite a spot of trouble! Unless that is, if you’re able to find her. The game starts with the man, the myth, the legend, John, waking up in a dark cell alone, unhappy. In a gameplay style like Resident Evil with shooter-like combat and something in the trailer that appears to be a needle, most likely for healing after getting your ass beat.

Can You Outfox Them?

Another thing that the Cecil Hotel demands is another skill set from you, something harder than clicking a button. Your brain. John must solve a series of puzzles and reveal the truth behind the haunting and how creatures that roam these halls even exist in the first place, along with speaking to the guests of the hotel trapped in the same never-ending cycle as you find yourself in currently. Hopefully, with these tools at your disposal and a sharp wit, you can escape with your sanity and your family well intact.

A Thoughtful Gesture

As another twist, even if outside of the game, the people behind The Cecil are offering a little promotional event to help boost sales and have a bit of fun. They’re looking for the best in-game reactions, either to the scares or moments of hilarity- anything that gives it that spark, right?  The ten best reactions will get a special hand-signed surprise from the game’s solo developer, and one single, even luckier player will get a 100 stream gift card and be put into the game itself as a cameo. It’s a pretty sweet deal. Follow their accounts on Instagram, and send them your clip here!

Overall

It’s always nice to have games like The Cecil come up, even if they’re pretty standard fare. Yes, we’ve all played Resident Evil or At Dead of Night, and yes, this game is a good mix of the two. And a lot of other smaller horror games in its vein, but that doesn’t mean it’s not well made. those systems are tried and true for a reason, in the right hands. They work!  So don’t worry about that too much. If the creators are actively looking for ways to engage their player base, you know that means you should check in for another night.