Reviews VideoGame / Ib

I love this game.

Okay, now, I'm not a fan of horror- I scare easily and in general avoid the genre. I started playing Ib because the plot appeared interesting, and... Oh man, I adore this game. It's utterly terrifying at first, and there are a handful of jump scares. Most of the games creepy-factor come from things that are just off and weird. When the plot gets rolling you just have to keep playing- fortunately, this game is pretty short. However, it's near-guaranteed that there will at least be one puzzle that stumps you. Some of them are pretty clever, but it relies on investigating everything multiple times, so the process of solving a puzzle may get tedious. The soundtrack is lovely; the title screen tune is pretty and haunting, Garry's theme can get just plain heartbreaking, and the noises while exploring some parts of the gallery... Woah. Do not play this game at night, folks. Do play this game with headphones, though.

One of the best things about Ib is the characters. After even one playthrough, they become so lifelike in your mind- Garry, Mary, even the mostly-silent protagonist Ib. You will get emotionally invested in at least one character throughout the game. The multiple endings encourages playing through this game at least more than once, and there are a few things you'll find in your second, third, fourth, etc. playthrough you missed the first time!

Even if you don't like horror, I really recommend playing this game. It's short- maybe only a couple hours long if you don't get too stuck on a puzzle. It's got great characters, the soundtrack is awesome... The endings will rip out your heartstrings and stomp on them. Even the "antagonist" of sorts is such a sympathetic character. Just give it a go- and take a peek at the gorgeous fanart too when you're done!