"VILE: EXHUMED" Is One Horror Game That Feels All Too Real [REVIEW]

Written By Luis Vox

When a game is banned across several outlets and forces the developers to give the game away for free, you know you have something that's going to rub people the wrong way. Similar to video nasties in the '80s, people have strong feelings about what content should be consumed by the masses. From VHS then to video games now, it's still a hot topic.

Vile: Exhumed doesn't look like much on the surface. Underneath its very disturbing premise is, more or less, a simple puzzle game. You click around at objects and files on an old '90s computer screen layout, trying to find clues to unlock more screens and find answers to the game's questions. Eventually, you trigger one of three endings by the choices you've made and files you've opened.

But that's where Vile: Exhumed betrays you. The computer you happen to be going through is that of a sadistic kidnapper and murderer, someone who's taken a young girl and tortured her for their pleasure. You have to find out what happened to the victim.

I've never played a game that made me feel similar to when I watched the films The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007) or S&MAN (2006). Like I shouldn't be watching this. As if this might be a real snuff tape, even though all logic tells me otherwise.

HOW DOES IT LOOK:

The graphics are exactly what you'd expect out of a '90s AOL-style computer. All the screens are pixelated, and the videos are grainy. But it works with the immersion. It makes it all the more real. The gameplay is deceivingly simple, but some of those puzzles had me staring at the screen for a good while.

As you go through the files, you find basic information that seems pointless, but you soon learn nothing is pointless in this game. Everything can be a clue to help you along.

WATCH THE TRAILER FOR "VILE:EXHUMED: BELOW

It's when the suggestions of violence, sex, and stalking come in that things go down a dark rabbit hole. To be very clear, there is absolutely no nudity or sex of any kind in this game. All the violence is presented in different ways, but the impact of said violence is not lost.

The story is what really succeeds here. As you click along and type in clues, you're slowly learning more about this psychopath and what he's like, why he chose his victim, and who his victim is to him and to others.

The end of my first playthrough, which took less than one hour to complete, left me at a loss for words at first. It was a little uncomfortable. But that's exactly what horror should do. Make you ask, should I be enjoying this?

Final Word

This game will not be for everyone. But like most horror, that's OK.

Vile: Exhumed is 3 kidnapped victims out of 5.

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