Loved this game, every grim, black, defeating second of it.

Lots of games in the last 10 years have dealt with mental health and trauma, due to its accelerating focus in the zeitgeist. On this, I believe if you've experienced and dealt with any abnormal mental health, then you are fully entitled to express it and yourself in whichever way you want in your creative works. That being said, I'm completely okay with games being optimistic and a bit brighter about this kind of stuff, but games like Cry of Fear that are a lot farther away from the light are also completely valid. The way that this game deals with topics such as depression, suicide, self-harm, trauma, and psychosis, can sometimes be pretty heavy and brutal, even silly to an insensitive eye. But I'm not gonna forget it anytime soon, and I loved how well-baked it was into the gameplay, mechanics, and enemies. Simon is a really well-written and empathetically embedded protagonist, and while the rest of the game's story and writing doesn't stack up to this, and his voice acting is nothing Oscar-worthy, I'm glad he was there to guide us through his own journey. The cold, dark descent eventually brings itself to probably one of the most indescribably reinvigorating and effective moments I have ever experienced in a video game to this day, remotely followed with the ending I received which did feel unrealistic, but ultimately satisfying and earned.

The game being run on the GoldSrc engine (released in fucking 1998) is its own can of worms to be opened. The game doesn't stand very well compared to the graphics of other games from 2013 but considering it's on a game engine that's just about as old as me, the graphics and art style are super impressive. I don't wanna know what kind of ancient ritual magic the two main devs had to perform to get this game looking and playing the way it does. That being said, GoldSrc obviously does prove somewhat-routine limitations for the game. There's an innumerable amount of doors and load-zones that wouldn't have to be there had the game been running on Source, which was already out for nearly a decade when the game was officially released. Some of the mechanics can also feel a little wonky and the balancing of combat can be off sometimes, but if GoldSrc was necessary for giving the game the vibe it has, then so be it. The pitch-black streets of Sweden feel wholly empty as these nightmarish low-poly monsters are deadset on your demise. It managed to jump the gun on retro graphics-clad horror games that are all the rage over the past couple of years. In this way, Cry of Fear could represent the far-stretched end of this era of old fifth-gen horror games.

Loved most of the mechanics it had to offer, and as I mentioned earlier, how they get to reflect the game's themes. Some of the choices for enemy design in this game are stuff that I'd expect in triple-A games, let alone what was found in a FREE game, although this doesn't save it from sometimes unfair encounters and enemies. The idea of save points as opposed to automatic checkpoints or freedom to save was very well appreciated, lending a lot of tension to the game's progression from level to level.

Both the sound design and soundtrack for this game were incredible. At every turn, there is no one, and the absence is perfectly audible, with the sounds of wind, flora, and continuing automation effortlessly imposing this forlorn and isolated feeling upon you. The game's title is pretty self-explanatory on the sound design of enemies, with several of the monsters disturbingly wailing as they come for you, and their memorable sounds serving well as mechanics. As for the soundtrack, it's an excellent example of simple yet effective, guided forth in terror with humming pads and dissonant drums, but used wonderfully for moments of calm and rest, with beautiful guitar tones and piano notes reverberating throughout the empty streets. Thank god that the OST is on Spotify so I can jam it whenever I find myself in a predicament walking the dark streets of NFLD.

Sometimes the vibe can feel a bit derivative. I wasn't right out of the woods yet with "Half-Life mods that borrow their style and atmosphere from other games" having just completed the putrid Hunt Down The Freeman being in love with MGS (was my primary reasoning for finally getting to this game, as I wanted a bout with an actually acclaimed Half-Life mod). In this way, Cry of Fear has an affinity for both the Silent Hill and Resident Evil series (a bit more the former than the latter) and picks elements to help cement its setting and atmosphere. Considering this, the game could be set in a Swedish Silent Hill if Konami decided to buy out Team Psykskallar, but this never fully detracts from the mostly unique tone and atmosphere Cry of Fear sets.

Looking forward to WuPac trying this game out and seeing what he thinks, as he's a lot more experienced in the area of mental health. You better, also, since it's free.

Certainly eclipsed in some ways by later entries, but still a classic. It deserves a lot of credit for pushing the limits of stylish action in a 3D environment.

Yeah, it feels kind of stiff, but I think the combat holds up pretty well aside from that. Every hit has a nice crunchiness to it, which is something admittedly lost in DMC5 in its pursuit of realism. It's a good complement to that badass soundtrack as you're beating on enemies once you're used to the controls. Such a blast. Incentivising clever and bold play is the style meter, which rewards you for mixing up your moves. The requirements for reaching "Stylish!" on the meter are strict but satisfying. It's all tied together beautifully, and is resonant with Dante as a character. Yes, truly, this game makes you feel like Dante.
...At higher level play anyway.
It all culminates in that great feeling when you get that S rank at the end of a mission, signifying a job well done.

I don't think any of the later entries match up to DMC1 in terms of atmosphere, and that's thanks to its music, sound design, the distinctly gothic feel of Mallett Island, and the camera angles. The fixed camera angles get a lot of flack, and rightfully so to an extent, but it does pay off at times. When the developers know how to take advantage of it, it looks good.

As impressive as DMC1 is, it's not without its crust. Depending on the context, the jumping can range from fine to downright painful. It works well for combat, but when platforming... it's pretty rough. Both phases of the Mundus boss fight are weak (not including the one in the last mission), but the finale of the game makes up for it. DMC1 doesn't sport a crazy good story, but it still ends on an emotional high point.
DMC1 is overall blisteringly hard and unforgiving to those trying to use it as a gateway into the genre. It's not going to click straight away, but it's still worth the try if you have any interest in it. And try not to sweat the low ranks too much, it's to be expected on your first run.

If you struggled or are struggling to get into DMC1 on the first playthrough like I did, start a fresh run and see if you're surprised by how much better you're doing. That second run was one of the most enjoyable and satisfying experiences I've ever had playing a game.