Angels of Death (PC) Review

Angels of Death stars Ray, a young woman who wakes up in a hospital, and who is unaware about how she got there in the first place. While this title is very narrative-heavy, it's important to know that there's plenty of gameplay here, too, although it's debatable how exciting that is exactly. What isn't debatable, though, is that gamers will be hard pressed to find another experience quite like it.

The primary focus in here might be the narrative, but there are some smaller puzzle components littered throughout. None of these are particularly challenging, but they do manage to keep things fresh and exciting throughout the duration of the adventure. As the heroine ascends the floors of the hospital, she will come across various killers, each of whom controls not only the floor, but also the general decor. It's an interesting concept, and Angels of Death actually makes for a pretty fun experience, despite how small it is.

The art work is quite interesting as it manages to, despite being pixel art, have a life of its own. It's reminiscent of old web games' pixel art, although it feels somewhat silly. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what it is, yet it's likely because of the exaggerated head sizes and lanky limbs that the characters are made almost believable. It's a pleasing juxtaposition to the overall dreadful feeling that is permeated with throughout.

Unfortunately, this branches out from time to time, and tries to be more than it can handle. This becomes clear early on, when players will be tasked with running away from one of the aforementioned killers. This feels like Clock Tower set to 11, as it seems impossible to escape this foe - more similar moments exist, and they ruin the fluidity of the experience. There are also occasional point-and-click elements, as well, and they again feel very out of place, as this is a rare example of a narrative-driven game that works better the less interactive it manages to be.

For a horror game made out of pixels, Angels of Death manages to be incredibly creepy. The story can be a bit difficult to follow at times but, all in all, this actually manages to do its job of sucking gamers in and making them care about the story and those involved. Fans of visual novels are going to enjoy this experience, probably much more than anyone that is just a horror fan. Fortunately, there's enough here for fans of both to have a truly good, immersive time.