Japanese psychological game
The Radio Station | 深夜放送 is a horror adventure game from the game developing siblings Chilla’s Art. As the name implies, this game is about exploring the grounds of a radio station. You play as an unnamed protagonist hoping to uncover his brother’s death.
The developers describe The Radio Station as a walking simulator. However, there is actually a decent amount of puzzles that you will solve. Moreover, while it is categorized as a horror game, its jump scares aren’t the usual ugly things screaming at your face. They are more similar to unexpected things appearing for a split second.
What is The Radio Station | 深夜放送?
The game starts with you waking up to the news of your brother, Masaki, dying. The circumstances of his death are rather unclear, and you take it upon yourself to investigate as the police deemed it as suicide. With not much to go on with, you decide to investigate the radio station where your brother works as a host to the late-night horror show.
You begin your investigation by driving to the radio station. Unusual to Chilla’s Art game, you use a car to get around the map, which you use to navigate a rather dark road. Players should note that the driving sequences aren’t brilliant. Controlling the car with the digital inputs of the keyboard is quite awkward. Moreover, the traditional exploration-based gameplay takes center stage only when you reach the station.
Your main task is to collect seven cassette tapes containing Masaki’s last broadcasts. As expected, these tapes are all over the station. There are no waypoints or markers, so if you get stumped, your best choice is to check the other locations. You should also know that there are three endings to the game, which depend on the actions you take along the way.
Is the game good?
Overall, The Radio Station | 深夜放送 is a good addition to your psychological horror game collection. The premise is nothing new, but the game excels in its sense of atmosphere with its environmental design and overall soundscape. It also comes with three possible endings, which gives it a replay value. However, it could do with a tweak or two as there are both bugs and performance issues.
