Short survival-horror game

They Are Here! (Demo) is the demo version for an indie game in development. This survival horror puts you first in the middle of a suburban setting as you try to survive from a bizarre creature. You will need to run fast, stay hidden, and use the environment to try and outrun and outlast the monster.

They Are Here! (Demo) uses atmospheric tension and 3D lighting to make the short experience worthwhile. Other, longer alternatives for this game include Eyes – The Horror Game or a solo game of Left 4 Dead (L4D).

Fragmented, yet playable

The first thing you’d notice with They Are Here! (Demo) is its graphics. It has fairly decent visuals for a demo indie game. The game offers a good quality of detail from the monster to the environment. This particular trait works in adding tension as it makes the game unsettling from the start. It leaves you unprepared for the sudden jumpscare that happens just as fast.

Although it uses atmospheric tension with the 3D quality of the game, it fails to make an effective horror scene when it matters the most. The entire game, however short, is tense and unnerving. One factor that contributes to this shortcoming is the overall design of the monster. The white fleshy creature feels overused since it looks like something from The Forest or L4D.

In terms of the pacing, the demo feels like a short sample for two different parts of the game. They both focus on an urban setting and let the player explore and interact with the environment. The first half reveals something about the premise of the entire game while the second half abruptly ends. This ends the game without any purpose, aside from hyping up the full version.

A quick scare

If you’re looking for a quick scare that doesn’t require you to grind or invest time, They Are Here! (Demo) might be a good fix. It has a great visual quality that perfectly suits the vibes that the game is aiming for. However, it falls short when it comes to the most important part: your face-off with the monster. It’s a good teaser experience.