Visage

About Visage

Visage is a first-person psychological horror game by SadSquare Studio, released in October 2020 on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Enhanced versions for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S followed in October 2021. It is often described as a spiritual successor to P.T. You play Dwayne Anderson, a man who has killed his wife and children and then himself, and who is now trapped in his large suburban house in the 1980s. The house holds more than his own story: other families were murdered by their own members there, and people lost their minds.

The house is semi-open, and you unlock more of it with keys and other items. It does not hold still. Corridors loop and twist, doors open onto places that should not be there, and familiar rooms change while your back is turned. Most of the story is told through what you find and see rather than through explanation. Three chapters follow earlier residents: Lucy, a girl who befriends something that speaks to her through the television and radio; Dolores, an elderly woman who lived there with her husband George; and Rakan. Each chapter brings its own tools and tricks, such as a camera whose flash shows what you cannot otherwise see, or mirrors that hide passages.

You cannot fight. Your sanity drops in darkness and when paranormal things happen around you, such as bulbs breaking, doors slamming or electronics going wrong. Lighters light your way, pills restore sanity, spare bulbs repair broken lights, and ghosts cannot touch you near a lit candle. You can carry only five items plus one in each hand, so you have to choose. If a ghost catches you, you die, and dying is part of the game.

The makers warn that the game is difficult in unconventional ways. There are few signposts and you are expected to search and work things out yourself. The main story takes about 6 hours, and longer if you search every room. Critics praised the atmosphere and criticised the small inventory, clunky handling and bugs. It suits players who enjoy slow, careful exploration and haunted house stories, and who do not mind being lost for a while.

How to play Visage

1. Explore the house in first person, opening drawers, doors and cabinets to find items, keys and clues.
2. Turn on lights as you go. Your sanity drains in the dark and when strange things happen.
3. Carry lighters, pills, spare light bulbs and candles. Pills restore sanity, bulbs fix broken lights, and ghosts cannot touch you near a lit candle.
4. Manage your inventory: you can hold five items plus one in each hand.
5. Find the items that start each chapter and follow the stories of the house's past residents.
6. If a ghost catches you, you die and carry on searching; dying is part of the game.

Tips

• Switch on every light you pass; a lit route back is worth a lot.
• Keep pills for when your sanity is low rather than using them early.
• Carry a spare light bulb so you can fix lights that break in rooms you need.
• Keep inventory space for chapter items; drop things you no longer need.
• Search everywhere, including small objects; many clues are easy to miss.
• Expect to be lost at times; the house is meant to be explored without markers.

Questions