Having debuted last Halloween on the Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4 and PS Vita platforms, Aksys Games’ Death Mark will soon be making the transition to PC.
With a classic J-Horror set-up, reminiscent of Ju-on or Ringu, the game’s central mystery revolves around a fatal omen that takes the form of an inexplicable bite mark. According to the urban legend, this portent acts as a kind of ticking clock and if it appears anyway on your body, then you have a limited amount of time left to live. No one knows exactly what happens next, but the track record isn’t exactly promising, as everyone who has been inflicted with the hex has met a grisly end.
As you might expect, you take control of someone (a customizable protagonist) who has already contracted the titular curse and must investigate the mythology behind it. To do this, you’ll need to explore your surroundings to find clues, solve puzzles and track down answers before it’s too late. In terms of gameplay, it’s kind of like a visual novel but with interactive adventure segments and some light combat mechanics (you’ll have to use items and figure out the correct way to banish certain spirits).
One of the more interesting aspects of the indie-hit is that, not only do you have to defeat the supernatural entity that is pursuing you, but you have to do it in the ‘’right way’’. Otherwise, you’ll get a bad ending. This means that you’ll need to think carefully so that you do not misinterpret the information given to you, which is sure to be a stressful task when you consider that you are working against the clock.
It’s a very intriguing premise and the game was quite well received when it was released on the other systems. So, if you’re a fan of more subdued, slow-burn fare then this might be up your street. To be honest, I didn’t know much about it until now but I’m reasonably tempted pick it up.
Death Mark is already available to purchase on Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS Vita. As for the PC release, the Steam version will unlock on April 4th.
