ニュース
The Mortuary Assistant manages to keep you terrified for hours
C
Carli Velocci
“What makes you say that?” I asked.
“Because every few minutes I hear you make terrified little yelps, and then you continue playing.”
I’ve gone through around 10 shifts at the River Fields Mortuary, and it doesn’t get any less scary. At the start of each shift, I head into my job as the titular mortuary assistant to perform autopsies on three bodies. Unfortunately, one of them is housing a dangerous demon who wants to make my life a living hell—literally. I have to go through a series of rituals (while still doing my job) to find out which body houses the demon, determine its name, and exorcise it before I become possessed myself.
Each round generally follows this format, but with the help of a few ingenious features created by solo developer Brian Clarke (going by DarkStone Digital), The Mortuary Assistant goes from grimdark sim to indie horror masterpiece. This is a big part of why it might actually be my favorite game right now.
I start each shift the same way. I walk in, pick up a notepad and my clipboard, head to the cabinet behind the desk, and get a letting strip—that last one is not standard equipment. Then, I retrieve a body from the freezer and start working. I have a checklist to follow, which makes the actual autopsy work simple, albeit intricate. However, since I also have to perform an exorcism, there’s a lot more to keep track of. You can use the letting strip to find hidden symbols around the mortuary, which will lead you to the demon’s name. You can also keep an eye out for clues that will help you figure out which body the demon is hiding in. These can range from small bodily twitches to new markings, as well as a creepy smile on the corpse’s face.
There are some obvious opportunities for horror here. As the shift continues, the demon becomes more powerful and you become more possessed. The longer you take to find the demon, the worse it all gets. It can be as small as a freezer door banging, but you can be subjected to more serious hallucinations. Demons will appear around corners or in hallways encouraging you to approach, or they'll force you into twisted flashbacks, infinite hallways, or occultist crypts. On occasion, the game will let you in on some of the narrative’s secrets, but you have to put the work in and keep playing. It’s an important job.
A key aspect of the game's charm is its random nature—thanks to this, each of the 45-minute shifts are distinct. The haunt system will show you different events each time, put the items you need in new positions, and—eventually—show you important story elements. It’s an ingenious piece of work that ensures you never truly know what’s around the corner, even 10 shifts in. If you're anything like me, you'll keep screaming, but you'll keep playing, too.
The Mortuary Assistant is available on Epic Games Store now.