Is Grandma Home?

I have played more than my fair share of these short indie horror titles over the years and I would say 'mixed bag' is the easiest way to describe them. Going into She Was 98, I wasn't sure what to expect. The reviews on Steam are very positive and the spooky house setting is one of my favourites in horror media, but I still had lingering doubts on whether or not this wasn't going to be worth an hour of my time.

She Was 98 sees you take on the role of a grandson, who arrives at his grandmother's house in order to look after her. The house, when you arrive, is in complete disarray. Rats skitter around the rotten floorboards, furniture knocked over, and remnants of food can be seen all over the kitchen counter. Visually, it's actually not bad, certainly one of the better looking indie horror games that I've played recently. The house which you now call home is pretty unsettling, with dim lighting and creepy audio sounds and cues piercing the walls of grandma's house. It feels and sorta looks like a mini version of the Baker's house from Resident Evil 7. It's quite a small house - bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen and...a basement. Who doesn't love a basement in a horror game? The smaller setting helps the game flow and you're rarely ever stuck in limbo or fumbling around lost in the dark.

Take Your Medicine

The gameplay is, as you would expect, pretty simple. You get a notepad which details all the daily tasks you have to complete. Wash, make food, and give grandma her pills. Speaking of Grandma, she's...horrific. Darkness often shrouds her body, but those eyes are the only thing you'll remember, outside of the jump scares. Anyway, all those tasks are completed with a single click on the mouse after finding whatever it is you need nearby. This cycle repeats a couple of times and during these little chores, you will often get assaulted by a jump scare or two. Maybe three. I'm not normally a big fan of jump scares, but they're quite well done here. And for those of you who don't enjoy puzzles in horror games, you're in luck, because there aren't any. I also found the story to be a notch above other titles of the same type. I won't get into too much detail due to how short the game is, but the story and overall conclusion are worth your time.

The game is £6.99 on Steam and it's up to you to decide if that price is worth an hour of your time. While I enjoyed the game, I would definitely grab it when it's on sale.