“The possibilities are as numerous as the butterflies.”
Uncanny Valley by Cowardly Creations is an indie horror title trying to pay homage to the classic titles of old. But can Uncanny Valley achieve the kinds of scares that made those gamers great or is it just another pretender to the throne?
Straight off the bat I want to say one of the best things Uncanny Valley has going for it is its storyline. To many games these days try to weave as much lore as they can into a game when sometimes something short and concise is all that's needed and that is exactly what you're getting here. Tom is a lowly security guard patrolling a derelict building where something strange is going on in the bowels of the building and that's as much as I'm going to say about it. As the story unfolds the mystery surrounding the building and it's grisly goings on slowly reveal themselves. But this isn't a game you will want to play just once. I highly recommend playing through it multiple times so you can experience the full story. It won't take you long and a few playthroughs should only take a matter of a few hours. The beauty of Uncanny Valley is there is no right or wrong way to play it but everything you do affects the game in different ways and one mistake could mean the end so you're constantly kept on your toes. 
There isn't a huge amount of variety here in terms of gameplay. You play as a security guard and for the most part that's what you will end up doing. You read emails, solve very simple puzzles and go about your rounds as usual. There are some sections that could be called action orientated but really it's just a case of getting outta dodge as quickly and safely as possible. You can use a gun if you can find it but even when you do don't expect to go full Rambo because that just doesn't happen. You won't be able to plough through wave after wave of enemies and you'll rely mostly on your trusty torch to see you through and this adds another layer of tension and I guarantee you that you'll end up jumping off your seat quite a few times.
As you walk your rounds you will collect various items that you will need to use to solve the game's puzzles. None of the puzzles here will tax your brain too much. These puzzles take much time to solve but they are an interesting diversion. As you move around the building you slowly build up a small inventory of cassettes (remember those kids), items you can use as weapons and various healing items. You also carry a notepad that displays your objectives. To use one of your items you just select it and drag it to wherever you need it.
Even though Uncanny Valley deserves to be played through more than once you'll find yourself going through the same motions at the beginning of the game just to get the story moving. I wish there was a way to skip the initial opening section once you have completed the game because it tends to drag the game down and without knowing which decisions alter the game it's a necessary evil but one that could have been implemented better.
Uncanny Valley is the type of game I love to look at because of its old school graphics and I love it. You won't see anything flashy here and that's fine with me. The one problem I do have with Uncanny Valley is the way each email is presented. The text on screen can be incredibly hard to read because of the pixel style graphics. The sound is limited but it's adequate and does what it's suppose to with no bells and whistles.
As a huge horror fan I have been looking forward to Uncanny Valley since it was first announced. Replayability is one of the game's core strengths and to get the most out of it it's essential you do play through it several times. It may be a little rough around the edges but there is a great little story waiting to be told if you're willing to invest the time into it.
Developer: Cowardly Creations
Publisher: Digerati Distribution
Website: Uncanny Valley
Twitter: @CowardCreations / @DigeratiDM
Review code supplied by Digerati Distribution