Single-player horror game

The Black Iris is a single-player indie horror game by a solo developer named James Ferguson. The game takes you somewhere in rural Scotland, where a secret research facility is overwhelmed by a cosmic horror called the Black Iris. You will play as an engineer with a mission to decommission equipment and gather the research materials left by the scientists. However, as you explore deeper into the void, you will find an unstable world of phantasmagorical horrors.

What is the game about?

Upon entering the game, what users will find is a fever dream art style. In fact, the game looks like an art exhibit with its vivid fluorescent colors and abstract low-resolution textures. However, as you play along, the feeling of isolation and claustrophobia will sink in. As noted, you play an engineer sent to the Sottish facility to decommission. Your task is to pick up notes and videotapes that will explain the fragmented, hazy story.  

There is no combat and the game is more about exploration with very light puzzles to solve. There will also be no jump scares here. Due to its trippy soundtrack and psychedelic visuals though, it will still manage to unnerve some players. There is also the occasional shift to Resident Evil-style fixed cameras, the surreal and distorted dream sequence, and the fuzzy videos from the videotapes collected, giving the game a subtle sense of gnawing horror.

The Black Iris is a third-person, over-the-shoulder, supernatural adventure game. It draws heavy influence from movies, like Beyond the Black Rainbow, where black irises play a significant part. While the game offers something new, there are a few faults that need patching up. The biggest of which is its blocky graphics. There are also the occasional erratic camera behavior whenever you pass through walls of buildings. The movement controls can’t follow through, which makes things worse.

Is the game worth downloading?

Overall, The Black Iris is a stunning game that understands the concept of cosmic horror. It plays with your mind and gives you an unsettling feeling of dread without the usual tropes of horror games. It comes with fantastic yet menacing visuals made more creepy by the sinister and suspenseful sound effects. And with a captivating story to match, this game is worth playing.