Nevermind

Nevermind is an incredibly effective psychological adventure that's ideally meant to be played with a heart-rate monitor. Even without one, it's a uniquely creepy experience. Its approach to horror is unique because instead of having players explore a haunted house or abandoned carnival, it sends them into the minds of people who've suffered some kind of emotional trauma. These patients' minds are dark and confused, filled with warped perspectives, unexpected elements, and bizarre dream logic, all of which can be scary or even harmful to players. Aside from exploring these minds, players must hunt for memories that come in the form of photos; five represent real memories, and five represent protective lies fabricated by the subconscious. Once found, they must be sequenced to reconstruct patients' traumatic experiences. It's a mysterious, frightening process that, thanks to great audio-visuals (minus the temp voice lines), is as compelling and addictive as reading someone else's diary.

The only downside to Nevermind is that it lacks adequate content. Though more is coming, right now there's only an intro, a training module, and one patient file, which can be completed in around 90 minutes. Still, Flying Mollusk should be congratulated. What began as a student project has evolved into a masterful expression of nightmare imagery used to craft a game like nothing you've ever played.