Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle

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A dead base, a frozen-nitrogen gun, and enemies that will not stay down.

Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Price: Paid
Rated: Mostly Positive on Steam (74% of 943 reviews); Metacritic 65
Length: about 6 to 8 hours (reviewers)
Players: 1
Made by: Invader Studios
Released: 2023

Get it on Steam PlayStation Store Xbox Series X|S Xbox One Official site

What frightens Sent into Area 51 in 1994, special agent Dalila Reyes finds that the dead there do not stay down: floating orbs of electrical energy bring corpses back as aggressive creatures. With few bullets, you freeze them with a liquid-nitrogen gun before they rise again, in long, black corridors where something is always moving.
Content: gore, dismemberment.

Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle is a third-person survival horror game from Invader Studios and the prequel to Daymare: 1998. As H.A.D.E.S. special agent Dalila Reyes you go into Area 51, where electrical energy is bringing the dead back to life, and survive with little ammunition and the Frost Grip, a gun that freezes enemies so they stay down.

About Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle

Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle is a third-person survival horror game by Invader Studios, released on 30 August 2023 for PC, PlayStation and Xbox. It is a prequel to Daymare: 1998 and tells part of the past of some of that game's characters, but you can play it first.

You are Dalila Reyes, a former government spy now working for H.A.D.E.S., a special unit sent into the most advanced experimental research centre in the United States, Area 51, on a top secret mission called Sandcastle. In the darkness of its maze-like underground levels, something lethal is waiting.

The horror is in enemies that keep coming back. Glowing orbs of electrical energy drift through the base and bring corpses back to life, and an enemy you thought was dead can rise again, in a new and deadlier form. Bullets are limited, so your main tool is the Frost Grip, a device on your arm that sprays liquid nitrogen to freeze enemies and stop them for good. It also solves environmental puzzles and can be upgraded. A scanner on your arm reveals clues, documents and hidden items, and you save at save points.

Compared with Daymare: 1998, it follows one main character, and reviewers saw it as a clear step up, though still less polished than the big survival horror remakes; some found the combat clumsy. It suits fans of 1990s-style survival horror who like scarce resources and a story about secret bases and experiments.

How to play Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle

Explore Area 51 in third person as Dalila Reyes.
Shoot sparingly: ammunition is limited.
Use the Frost Grip to freeze enemies so they cannot rise again.
Watch for the floating energy orbs and deal with them before they bring more corpses back.
Scan the surroundings with your arm device to find clues, documents and hidden items, and use them to solve environmental puzzles.
Save at save points before going deeper into the base.

Screenshots

Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle screenshot: Dalila Reyes with the Frost Grip on her arm walks down a dark corridor toward a red light

Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle screenshot: a corpse crackling with electricity rises in a dark corridor as Dalila aims at it

Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle screenshot: close view of a skinless, screaming creature with electric sparks

Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle screenshot: Dalila points a flashlight across a dark, misty hangar floor

Tips

Never assume a fallen enemy is finished; freeze it to be sure.
Upgrade the Frost Grip when you can; it is your most important tool.
Scan rooms thoroughly, since the scanner shows items you would otherwise miss.
Choose the Rookie difficulty if you are new to survival horror; Veteran is there for those who want it harder.

Questions

Do I need to play Daymare: 1998 first?

No. Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle is a prequel with a new main character, Dalila Reyes. Knowing Daymare: 1998 adds context but is not needed.

How long is Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle?

Reviewers finished it in about six to eight hours.

What is the Frost Grip?

A device on Dalila's arm that sprays liquid nitrogen. It freezes enemies so they stay down, helps solve puzzles and can be upgraded.

What platforms is Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle on?

PC on Steam, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

Is it better than Daymare: 1998?

Most critics found it an improvement, with better pacing and the Frost Grip, though it is still rough in places. On Steam it is rated higher than the first game.