Chris InglisI remember leaving the cinema after watching A Quiet Place: Day One, as I do after most movies and say, I wish there was a game in that universe. Well, my quandary was answered by Stormind Games and publisher Saber Interactive with the release of A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead. The film’s masterful use of silence and tension had me on the edge of my seat and I was eager to see if the game could replicate that same level of suspense. I’m thrilled to say, it sure did and scared the heck out of me more times than I could count, and I rate this up there with the suspense of Alien: Isolation.
From the opening sequence, tension was instilled where we play as Alex who is creeping through the forest looking for a friend. After certain things happen and by the time the title image displayed, I was left shocked while my jaw dropped open. There’s no blasting away hordes of monsters with a boomstick; the gameplay is about the agonising silence, the constant fear of a misplaced step or tinkling of an empty soda can, and the desperate struggle to survive in a world where sound is a death sentence.
The core gameplay revolves around stealth and taking your time not to disturb things around you that could make noise. You’re not armed; you are just a vulnerable survivor forced to rely on your wits and the environment to stay alive. Every action has consequences. A dropped object, a hurried footstep, even the puff of your asthma inhaler can attract the attention of the deadly creatures that roam the land. This creates a constant sense of unease, a feeling that you’re always one wrong move away from disaster. The first time I saw one of the monsters in the halls of the hospital, my hand shook the mouse as I froze in place, then slowly backed up some stairs in pure fear as it approached me, only to hit a paint can that I had avoided earlier and witnessed my first of many deaths in the game.
The game cleverly utilises a phonometer which is a device that visually represents the sound you’re making. Unlike the location pinging tool in Alien: Isolation, this gives you a level of the ambient sounds around you, measured against the sounds you are making. The creaking of a door as you slowly open it, or the crunch of glass underfoot can spike the noise enough to attract the creatures and end your game. This tool becomes your lifeline, allowing you to gauge your noise levels and make informed decisions. Alex also suffers from severe asthma, so while her heart quickens from fear and physical exertion, dust particles will exacerbate her symptoms, and the puff from the inhaler is also enough noise to attract the monsters. As an asthma sufferer myself, I resonated with this mechanic.
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead isn’t just about sneaking around. There are also environmental puzzles that require you to utilise your surroundings to your advantage. You might need to find a way to create a diversion, manipulate objects to create safe passage, or use the environment to conceal your movements. These puzzles are seamlessly integrated into the gameplay, enhancing the sense of immersion and making you feel like a resourceful survivor. Some of these areas require you to throw bottles or bricks that will make sounds to distract the monster while you overcome obstacles around you to progress. This becomes a repeat occurrence in later levels which lessens the tension somewhat with predictability, but you still have to be careful not to make noise or rush.
The game’s environments are expertly detailed with crumbling houses, abandoned vehicles, and overgrown landscapes painting a vivid picture of the post-apocalyptic world. You’ll find notes, photographs, collectibles, and other remnants of the past, offering glimpses into the lives of those who came before you. These details add depth to the world and create a sense of history, making you feel attached to the main character and the overall experience is more engaging.
The sound design is arguably the game’s most impressive feature. It’s not just about the loud noises; it’s about the subtle cues, the ambient sounds, and the eerie silence. You also have the option to turn on the ability to have your microphone capture your own voice and noises which the monsters will react to, and this adds additional tension to the game. The distant screeches of the creatures, the rustling of leaves in the wind, and the creaking of floorboards all contribute to the atmosphere of dread. The developers have masterfully crafted an audio landscape that’s both terrifying and immersive.
The absence of sound is just as important as the presence of it. The moments of absolute silence are often the most unsettling, creating a sense of anticipation and making you wonder what lurks just beyond the shadows. Do you risk the click of your torch to see ahead? I had some memory flashbacks to playing Alien: Isolation during this game and the sense of dread in the silence makes it a unique and unforgettable experience. The feeling of elation when finding a sound-proof safe room is palpable and a good chance to take a break.
While A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead excels at creating tension, its deliberate pacing and slow, methodical gameplay may be too tedious for some. I personally loved the slower pace and the fear of not knowing where the monsters were going to jump out from next. Plus, the underlying events that happen in the story were so gripping that I had to push past the fear to find out what happened next. However, if stealth games are not for you then you will likely get tired once the initial monster encounter scares wear off.
Overall, A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead successfully translates the tension and atmosphere of the films and offers some of the best tension-filled gameplay I have experienced. It can get somewhat predictable around halfway through and some may not gel with the slower pace, however it’s worth persisting with to see the story out. If you’re a fan of stealth-horror games and the A Quiet Place universe, this game is definitely worth checking out.
This review utilised a Steam key provided by Sandbox Strategies and A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is available now on Steam, Xbox and PlayStation.
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