Dementium Remastered (3DS) Review

Warning: the game reviewed here is not for kids. It features lots of blood and graphic violence.

Its not Halloween anymore, but if you’re an adult horror game fan, then you are always on the look out for a new horror experience.

Dementium Remastered is a remake of a game that originally appeared on the DS and it’ll be coming to the 3DS eshop this Thursday. I never played the DS version, so I can’t compare the two games. Dementium is a new game for me and so my review reflects that. Is Dementium a good 3DS game?  Will horror fans like it?  Lets find out!

STORY

The story in Demenitum is probably the weakest aspect of the game. This game is no Silent Hill. While it does have the creepy vibe of Hill, its cut scenes are not as engaging and its story just seems tacked on.

GAMEPLAY

Dementium is a first person shooter horror game and so is a very unique game to the 3DS. First of all, there are not many first person shooters on the 3DS. This is because the 3DS only has one analog stick and first person shooters usually rely on two analog sticks, one for walking and one for looking around. I’m sure Dementium probably plays better on the New 3DS, but I only have a regular 3DS. And so I had to use the stylus or my fingers to look around in Dementium.

This type of control works alright for this game but after awhile of using the stylus or my fingers on the touch screen, my hand was starting to cramp up. If you want to play this game, I recommend having the circle pad pro or a New 3DS. The stylus works ok, but its not the best solution. The rest of the controls work really well though. I was especially impressed with the use of the touch screen for puzzles (and taking notes for puzzles) and the weapon changing. Although, there is a shortcut for weapons on the D-Pad that works well too. I’d say everything expect the stylus control works well, though even that is not too bad in short bursts!

Beyond the way the game controls, Dementium is an interesting horror experience, especially early on.  When you first start playing the game, you’ll find it’s a very intense, creepy game. The regular enemies will surprise you for awhile and the first three boss fights are intense and hard. And while the puzzles are not the most original I’ve seen, they are challenging and interesting for awhile. But after you get past the first three bosses, you’ll notice something unfortunate happening with Dementium…

Bosses will start to repeat themselves later on (except for the last fight which is new) and if you happen to see a new random enemy, it’s just a recolor of an old enemy. The game does stay very intense, but the enemies become boring later. It felt like the developers had run out of ideas or maybe money for a lot of new enemies and challenges. Demenintum isn’t a very long game, but it seems like it should’ve been even shorter than it is. Still, if you can get past the controls and lack of variety later on, Demenitum is worth playing for the creepy and intense atmosphere.

GRAPHICS

Dementium has good graphics, with 3D or without 3D, but I wish it had more visual variety. As mentioned during the gameplay section, many of the enemies are the same over and over in this game. The same problem comes up with the game’s environments. You’ll see many of the same corridors and rooms multiple times.

The game definitely gets visually boring later on. Its too bad that some new environments and enemies couldn’t have been brought in later to shake things up. As it is, Dementium will impress you early on, but later on, you’ll be ready for the game to be over.

SOUND

The most impressive part of Demenitum is its audio. The game’s soundtrack is subtle and very creepy. Though, its sound effects are definitely the best part of the game. From the creepy monster sounds to the sound of your weapons, Dementium has great audio. The sounds in this game will creep you out!

CONCLUSION

If you’re looking for a good horror game to play on the 3DS, then Dementium Remasted is for you. Its not a perfect on the regular 3DS. I would recommend if you have a Circle pad pro or if you have a New 3DS, then you should play it with those. Otherwise, be prepared for less than perfect controls. The game is still worth playing anyway. Most of the controls work well and the game is very good, especially early on. I wish I could say the same about the later part of the game. Though, Dementium’s audio is fantastic and will seriously creep you out.

In the end, Dementium Remastered is a good addition to the 3DS eshop. Its not perfect but there are very few games that are. I do think that horror genre fans will love this game despite its flaws.

Shigeru Reviews Score: 7/10

All of the above pictures were taken from Renegade Kid’s website here.