One-Eyed Likho Review (PC)

Why in the hell would you put yourself through a horror game, you ask? Intentionally, maybe even going out of your way to find the best horror game out there. Let me tell you, fear and fright are just as valid an emotion as any. And having control over it, choosing to experience it rather than the world throwing fear at you, I’d argue, is pure genius. 

Anyway, for whatever reason, you play horror games, I have one special odd duck for you today. A pure greyscale feature, all shot in black and white. Something about taking away color from a game makes it more unnerving. And when you can creatively play around with the stark contrast between light and dark, well, that’s hitting the jackpot right there.

But an eerie color palette alone isn’t enough to make a truly worthwhile horror experience. So, tag along with me on our One-Eyed Likho review as we explore all the bits that make it worthwhile, and those still needing more polish.  

Seeking out the Evil Spirit

Your protagonist is simply The Smith. He’s a humble dude, blacksmithing his way through most of his life. And so far, it’s treated him well. He’s had an “easy life,” as the game phrases it. Perhaps looking for some bit of excitement, something out of the ordinary, he decides to go seeking out an ancient evil spirit. About the silliest idea, and get this, The Smith’s friend, The Tailor, says he’ll accompany him. Both reasonable dudes, as their light banter exudes. Yet, voluntarily choose to put their lives in danger. 

Dark Slavia

One-Eyed Likho is set in remote 19th-century Russia. This is portrayed via a monochromatic art style, using a greyscale, black and white color palette. It’s instantly the stand-out feature of the game, pulling you easily into an eerie and unnerving world. 

The visual style definitely gets the job done, inducing instant fright. And when you begin to make your way through a dark forest leading to the evil spirit, you can feel the twisted and unsettling atmosphere hanging in the air. 

However, there are places that fade into obscurity. The shadows in the distance can be too dense to make out what’s ahead. And while this can be frustrating for keen gamers looking to unearth every bit of lore and environmental detail, I find it adds to making One-Eyed Likho as unsettling as possible. There’s nothing like not knowing what lies ahead, especially considering the audio clues.

Silence of the Lambs

At times, you’ll hear the most anxiety-inducing music. It climaxes at the most unexpected times, leading you to believe that there might be a jump scare or bone-chilling event coming up. And nothing happens. Or something happens. You just never know what to expect, keeping you on edge throughout your playthrough. 

However, One-Eyed Likho also makes creative use of silence. You’ll be walking through the dark forest, and there’ll be ambient sounds from nature. There aren’t many animals, save for the gurgling croak of a raven. Momentarily, a twig might break, or a sudden creak might pierce through the silence. If you were alone, it’d definitely be one hella frightening walk. But fortunately, the Tailor is there with you for most of your playthrough, breaking the silence with periodic, light banter. 

Cabin in the Woods

Anyway, your walk finally leads to an abandoned cabin in the woods. This is, as the dark Slavik folk tales go, where the one-eyed Likho resides. And at this point, it’s still ridiculous that The Smith still wants to forge on ahead. Once in the cabin, as most horror films go, there’s no turning back. You have no choice but to face the ancient evil spirit head-on, evading any danger that might come your way.

And danger will come springing out of nowhere. As you delve deeper into the cabin, you’ll explore varied environments. There are ancient temples, derelict with empty graves and loosely hanging cobwebs that put out your only source of light. You’ll find sprawling cliffs descending into the abyss, among more diverse environments. And yes, all in the cabin as you descend further and further down into what seems to be a supernatural realm.

Explore Away

Exploration is the key gameplay in One-Eyed Likho. Or rather, testing how brave you are to keep going farther into creepy places. At any moment, ghastly creatures leap out of the shadows. And at times, during quite opportune moments. Your match can abruptly go out, and when you light another one, a scary creature appears above or behind you. These can genuinely make you jump out of your seat, which is grand because they don’t come too often. 

The other fear factor is the everlasting darkness wrapping its arms around you. It never quite becomes the norm of this universe. Perhaps thanks largely to the greyscale art style. You’re constantly conscious of the eerie silence and dread around you. And aware that danger might strike at any moment. 

Unfortunately, the one-eyed Likho, who’s the star of the show, seldom appears. She’s particularly slow and has blurred vision, which makes her feel less of a danger. In fact, she may attack you, and you’ll still be able to maneuver around her, dashing through an escape route. 

Slavic Folklore

Folk tales have, over the years, become more dreamy and are best served as a nightcap before bed. But they weren’t always “happy ending” stories. Some were pretty dark, especially Slavic folk tales. And One-Eyed Likho aims to bring to light one of the Slavik folklores of the One-Eyed Likho. She’s said to be an ancient evil spirit appearing as an old, skinny woman, who embodies misfortune and an evil fate. And it’s this evil fate that the protagonist seeks to escape.

Indeed, some moments do get scary, like when The Tailor is turned into a head with spider legs. And it can definitely induce some arachnophobia. However, his new form becomes quite useful when solving the puzzles in One-Eyed Likho. 

Meanwhile, you’ll pick up collectibles that reveal more lore and folk tales. You’ll learn more about related stories, gathering deeper insights into Slavic mythologies. If you’re a fan of folk tales, you’ll likely have a great time learning about the encounters and characters from the original stories. 

It would have been great to have English voice acting, though. During the chase sequences, for instance, when you’re running for your life, it’s difficult to be reading the subtitles at the same time. On the other hand, retaining the native language adds to the authenticity of the setting and folk tales. Worth mentioning also is that while the narrative can be interesting at times, the light banter between The Smith and The Tailor isn’t particularly the most intriguing, even if it helps break the flow of exploration.

Puzzle Away

While exploring, One-Eyed Likho gives you light puzzles to solve. These are mostly easy. So, you shouldn’t have a hard time figuring your way out through them. There are treasure chests, too, that require a four-digit code to unlock. But again, all you need is to examine the area around you for the solution. With the Tailor transformed into a spidey man, you can employ him in some of the puzzle scenarios. He can crawl through vents, for instance, to activate a lever.

Meanwhile, your matches, while providing a source of light through the dark corridors, can be used to burn obstacles. Pretty much burn everything, as the matches are infinite. Plus, it feels kind of good to watch things go up in flames. However, keep in mind that it can take a while to light another match, leaving you in the dark for a minute. 

By burning idols and dried grass, you can unlock new pathways to explore farther into the one-eyed Likho’s domain.

Verdict

One-Eyed Likho’s choice of a greyscale art style will instantly pull you into its eerie and unsettling world. It’s definitely the game’s strongest element, genuinely frightening throughout your playthrough. You never know what to expect as you forge deeper into the One-Eyed Likho’s cabin. Given that the environments grow more diverse, incorporating tight corners and dark corridors, you’re constantly on high alert over the dangers that might be lurking in the shadows. 

You explore a twisted and unsettling world with rich environmental storytelling. With moments when you’re enshrouded in darkness, it sparks more keenness to pay attention to every detail. However, that “mysterious” allure enhanced by the black and white color palette can sometimes work against One-Eyed Likho’s favor. You can easily miss lots of lore, solely relying on matches to unearth hidden details. 

Meanwhile, you do solve puzzles, nicely changing pace between chase sequences and chilling exploration. There is a nice variety, and unlocking treasure chests rewards you with additional lore and other Slavic folk tales. Overall, One-Eyed Likho is far from perfect, with some of the puzzles too straightforward. However, it definitely delivers a unique horror experience that fans of folk tales will love.