Hideo Kojima’s PT demo had a massive impact on the gaming industry, and even a decade later, its legacy is still influencing the games we play. One of the latest games to pay homage to PT is Supernormal, which positions itself as the spiritual successor to Allison Road. While not reaching the same heights as PT, it still has moments that are worthy of its inspirations, provided you’re willing to endure a lackluster first half of the game.

Just like PT, Supernormal unfolds in a single location—the stylish Japanese home of Mr. Sakamoto. As investigator Wyatt, players must uncover the mystery of Mr. Sakamoto’s daughter’s disappearance. The game gradually uncovers the horror that took place in the home through exploration and ominous encounters.

However, Supernormal’s atmospheric tension is frequently disrupted by odd choices, especially in the unexciting opening cinematic. The initial part of the game is hampered by poor dialogue and uninspiring interactions. Nevertheless, once players get past this initial phase, Supernormal’s terror takes a darker turn, with the scares becoming more pronounced and effective.

Although Supernormal doesn’t introduce any groundbreaking elements, its scares are well-executed, especially when played alone with headphones in a dark room. The game’s spooky interactions are genuinely unsettling, and the random events are often more frightening than the scripted ones.

A notable feature of Supernormal is its voice recognition system, allowing players to interact with the game using their microphone. However, this feature may not work consistently across different playthroughs. Additionally, the game’s penalties for failure are minimal, which might reduce the overall fear factor.

Visually and aurally, Supernormal excels, with a well-designed setting and lighting. The gameplay is smooth, and the puzzles are rarely overly challenging, making it a more accessible experience compared to PT. However, the story feels clumsy and relies on clichés, detracting from the overall experience.

Despite the game’s shortcomings, Supernormal offers little replayability, as most of the scares appear to be randomized, and subsequent playthroughs don’t offer significant variations. Additionally, the lack of impactful consequences for player actions may diminish the fear factor and the incentive for replay.