Conscript Plunges You Into the Horrors of WW1

• Conscript puts you into the shoes of an ordinary French soldier trying to survive the manmade terrors of WW1
• You will have to stab, shoot, and sneak your way through the trenches of Verdun to find your missing brother

World War 1 is not the first thing one might think of when imagining a horror game, but Conscript truly represents the manmade horror of the conflict.

Conscript Shows the Real Terror of War

Horror games often derive their characteristics from the various monsters, ghosts, and beasts that inhabit their respective worlds. These can often be scary, grotesque, and/or disgusting, making for the majority of the “horror” factor in the title. Of course, a somber, mysterious, haunting setting checks the rest of the list needed to make a truly terrifying experience.

These are some of the attributes that have made classics like Resident Evil, or more modern survival horror games like Dead Space icons of the genre. However, there is something arguably even more terrifying than ghosts, monsters, or space zombies – war.

War has been part of humanity since before civilizations arose and with it, there have always come a slew of horrific things that man does to his fellow man. While every human conflict has its fair share of terrors, World War One definitely dialed things up a notch or two, combining the age-old trauma of violence with new ways of industrialized warfare.

Conscript is an upcoming indie title that perfectly illustrates the conditions of the conflict and all the horrors it represents, doing so with its retro art style and top-down gameplay. “During the First World War, a lone French soldier must navigate twisted trenches, scavenge for limited supplies and solve complex puzzles – all whilst fighting for survival in the midst of mankind’s most brutal and horrifying conflict” – the official website of the game reads.

What’s Conscript’s Gameplay Like?

The upcoming title was clearly inspired by classics such as the early Resident Evil games. Players are plunged into the manmade maze and hellscape that was the battlefield at Verdun in 1916. This was one of the biggest and most important battles of the whole war. Therefore, it should be no surprise that both sides dug extensive systems of trenches, tunnels, and bunkers that make a great backdrop for the game.

Players will have to learn to navigate through this broken land, moving between blockhouses and safe zones in an attempt to find their brother who has gone missing in action. However, their journey will be complicated further by the enemies they will face – enemy soldiers. As the saying goes, a man is a wolf to another man, meaning players will have to face what is arguably the biggest and most real monster – humans.

While being faced with the brutality of trench warfare, players will also have to solve many puzzles and scavenge for limited resources such as ammunition or medical supplies. Sometimes the best course of action might be to sneak your way into the enemy lines to conserve both your equipment and other life. You’ll do lots of note-keeping for all the little puzzle-solving and backtracking, being sure to take a close look at the map of the trench system as you go back and forth between areas.

Conclusions

While World War One is definitely not the first thing one imagines when hearing about a horror game, some titles like Amnesia: The Bunker take the historical setting and turn it into something quite interesting. However, even it relies on supernatural entities and monsters to reinforce the fear factor of the game.

What sets Conscript apart is the fact that it does not include such methods in its world. Instead, it concentrates on the pure manmade horror that is industrialized warfare and the fact that ordinary humans had to live through that hell. It also captures a glimpse of the grim despair and melancholy that soldiers on the frontline must have faced on a daily basis for weeks and months.

Conscript, which is developed by indie developer Jordan Mochi and Catchweight Studio goes out on July 23 and Steam Deck verified. You can learn more about the game on its official website.