Hollow Cocoon

Hollow Cocoon, an immersive horror adventure game from boutique Asian developer NAYUTA STUDIO, is set in the foreboding mountains of 1980s Japan. The game casts you as a college student, Minato Jinba, who returns to his mother's hometown after his grandmother mysteriously falls critically ill. Upon arrival, you find the house unsettlingly empty and must navigate its halls while avoiding a horrific, shape-shifting entity as you piece together a shocking truth that has plagued multiple generations of your family.

After receiving news from your estranged father that your grandmother Kinu is sick, you embark on a bus journey through the winding mountain roads to reach the rural village of Ichinose, hoping to make amends. It's a place you left behind as a child and hold little affection for, finding its isolation eerie and the locals unnervingly uber-traditional. But you have no choice - Kinu was never willing to hear your side of the story after a bitter falling out with your mother years earlier.

The Story Slowly Snares You

Upon arrival, you find Kinu's home empty, abandoned, with no sign of a struggle. You also notice the locals acting strangely, seeming to avoid speaking about your family altogether. And it doesn't take long for a shapeless, violent entity to start appearing inside the house, forcing you to sneak around in search of clues while avoiding its grasp.

Notes, scattered diary entries, and old Japanese trinkets give you glimpses into the dark, layered secrets that seem to have both haunted and cursed your lineage for generations. Folk tales, violent crimes, and inherited trauma seem inextricably woven together as you uncover more information relating to a recurring story about the fate of silkworms.

And while you at first resented having to return to this place, the mystery of what happened to your grandmother and confronting demons from your familial past becomes a necessary obsession. But escaping with the answers you seek will not come easily.

Smart Design Choices Evoke Dread

While combat has become almost synonymous with horror games, developer NAYUTA STUDIO took Hollow Cocoon in a purely psychological direction, choosing to have the player survive through stealth and split-second evasion instead. Solving puzzles and finding clues dominate the gameplay, slowly ratcheting up the tension until chase sequences have your heart racing. The 1980s Japanese mountain setting oozes isolation and tradition while the spectral entity's shapeshifting abilities and frequent appearances create relentless dread.

And while things seem dire no matter what choices you make, Hollow Cocoon promises four unique endings based on how you navigate Minato's journey as well as unlockable extras that shed more light on past events. With solid writing, an intentionally disorienting setting, and smart design working in harmony, Hollow Cocoon pulls horror fans deep into its rich world filled with menacing secrets.

When it comes to psychologically-driven horror adventures anchored around family secrets, Hollow Cocoon shares a lot in common with 2017's acclaimed title What Remains of Edith Finch. Both games are story-focused walking simulators where players slowly unravel tragic generational secrets by exploring family homes and uncovering clues rather than relying on combat.

Review: 8.5/10

From its opening moments to its horrifying finale sequences, Hollow Cocoon excels at infusing psychological and emotionally-resonant horror elements into its gameplay while leveraging Japanese culture to bolster its unsettling atmosphere. And while frustrating chase sequences and an ending that leaves certain questions unanswered keep it from being genre-defining,

Pros:

• Chilling, psychologically-driven horror
• Japanese folklore makes it stand out
• Puzzles strike a nice challenge balance
• Great atmosphere and setting

Cons:

• Chase scenes lean too frustrating
• The ending feels a bit abrupt
• Could still be longer for the price