Parents' Guide to Blair Witch

There's nothing quite as terrifying as the feeling of being lost and alone, except the dread of realizing that maybe you're not quite as alone as you thought. That's the constant anxiety that looms as you play through Blair Witch. As you search the woods for clues, you can't help but feel there's something always lurking in the shadows, stalking you and waiting to strike. The game does a phenomenal job of creating an atmosphere that sends chills down your spine. You, much like Ellis, come to rely on your dog, Bullet, for a sense of security. Unfortunately, between the darkness seeping through the woods or the thick overgrowth, it's extremely easy to lose sight of your canine sidekick. In fact, there were a lot of times when you will frantically call for Bullet only to realize he's already right at your side but just out of the first-person field of vision. Because Bullet's such an integral part of keeping you alive and sane, it can be frustrating and almost panic inducing when you can't find him.

Blair Witch's open gameplay is both its biggest draw and its biggest glaring flaw. It takes a relatively hands-off approach, leaving you to explore how and where you like. While that does do a lot to bring you more closer to that feeling of being lost in the woods, oftentimes the fear quickly gives way to frustration as you wander in circles trying to figure out exactly what you're supposed to do next. Usually, this is where the reality-altering "found footage" video tapes come in, with players pausing footage on the tape to affect items in the real world. But it's not always obvious what needs to be changed, or which clues the tapes are trying to drop. It doesn't help that icons representing key items or clues don't necessarily show up unless you happen to get right on top of them. Eventually, you'll get back on track and watch the story unfold, but these moments of confusion can often take the player out of the overall experience. Still, Blair Witch is more than scary enough to leave you sleeping with the lights on and listening out for things that go bump in the night.