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Kuon
Chosen by Gracie
Kuon is a horror game set in Heian period (12th century) in Japan. You control three protagonists in the game. The story revolves around a man named Doman, an exorcist who was summoned by one of the noblemen to investigate a cursed manor. His daughter Utsuki is out to search for him when he doesn’t return, and her sister is charmed by demons inhabiting a mysterious castle, turning into a demon herself. A young girl named Sakuya, Doman’s disciple, also ventures into the depths of the demonic world, to prove herself worthy of her master. Once the player completes Utsuki’s and Sakuya’s scenarios, he unlocks the third scenario where he experiences the story from the point of view of Doman himself.
The game is a mixture of third-person action and puzzle-solving. As in all survival horror games, your means of defense are limited and scarce. Unlike most games of the kind, physical attacks with weapons are not your only way to defend yourself against hordes of undead creatures. You can also learn and cast spells in the game, and even summon creatures (wolves, spiders, etc.) to fight at your side.
“Kuon’s cover is simple but also beautiful. I love the face hiding partly in shadow. The game itself is just as great. It’s an often overlooked game from the Playstation 2 era of horror gaming. Before the Playstation 3 came along and decided that everything must be an FPS or perish.
In Kuon you play as three different characters – Utsuki (Yin Phase), Sakuya (Yang Phase), and Abe no Seimei (Kuon Phase). It’s pretty cool switching between the three different characters. They all have their own unique visuals, spells, and fighting styles to really set them apart from each other.
I’d really like to be able to find a way to stream Kuonfrom the PS2 but I don’t know how (if anyone does please let me know!)“
Gracie
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GracieKat was the first co-host of Sci-Fi & Scary, Lilyn’s partner-in-crime, and sub-head of the Kali Krew. She reviews horror books, movies, and games for the site. She also does a weekly Focus on the Frightful feature, and is the site list-maker. She is also in control of the Sci-Fi & Scary podcast which will relaunch soon.