There's nothing I like more than a game with an unpronounceable name, so SHiIDA by Baconlabs had already scored some points in my book before I had even booted it up.  Once I did load it, however, what I was presented with was an impressive start to what may become one of the creepiest games to ever grace the OHR.  Granted, it still needs a TON of work to reach that status but what little game play there is shows a massive amount of potential.


The game starts with our heroine, Katrina, awaking on an almost totally black screen.  After bumping around (a lot) in the dark, she eventually makes her way to a strange looking maze.  She wanders around for a while until she is suddenly attacked by giant mutant spider thing.  I'm not really sure exactly what happens next but it is definitely disturbing.  Trust me.  Next, Katrina finds herself in a different area of the maze, this time filled with instant death traps.  Eventually she makes her way to another, completely different, giant mutant spider thing.  After defeating this monstrosity, the demo ends.


The one aspect of this game that really stands out is its presentation.  Everything is very cinematic.  The maps have this creepy lighting effect that makes the maze seem like it is this pulsing, breathing, LIVING thing.  The character animations are top-notch and do a great job of conveying Katrina's emotional state as she explores this horrific labyrinth.  Some of them, especially the instant death traps, are downright disturbing.  The amount of detail is so great that Baconlabs actually gets away with telling this twisted story without the aid of a single text box.  Granted, this is just an introduction to the game and I am sure that the final story will be much more complex, but what there is now makes a lot more sense than some OHR games that have hundreds of text boxes.  Sound effects are used to great effect in order to enhance the tension that the musical score creates.  All of this combines to make for some top-notch presentation.


This game only has two battles, one of which is impossible to win.  The one battle that can be won, however, is not of the hold-the-spacebar-down variety.  You actually have to experiment with the different attacks that you have at your disposal in order to win.  Again, it's only one battle but if it is an accurate indication of things to come, then Baconlabs in definitely off to a good start.


The only problem I have with this demo, aside from its short length, is the first map.  There is absolutely no indication of where the player should go.  Actually, there is absolutely no indication of WALLS, either.  The player is just forced to wander around aimlessly until they reach an invisible door.  I almost lost patience and quit out of the demo.  This would have been unfortunate but it is something that can be easily fixed.  I just hope that other players were as patient as I was.


All in all, this game has a tremendous amount of potential.  It was part of the Halloween contest, so I am sure it was released prematurely to meet that deadline.  That would explain why it is so short.  Regardless of what little game play there is, though, this demo is fantastic.  If Baconlabs sticks with it, this game could be a real winner.  In the meantime, I suggest that you check it out for the cinematography alone.