Just as Croatia has its motifs through Go Home Annie, Bosnians now have their baklava, burek, and ćevapi. The Vanished Soul comes from Belmin Kozlić, a developer from Zenica known for Roll the Ball. This time, however, it’s a significantly more advanced and detailed game that will not only scare you but also make you carefully follow the storyline.
The Vanished Soul leverages all the capabilities of Unreal Engine 5 in an impressive way. It’s fascinating how detailed and graphically advanced this title is. It’s not just surface-level, when you open a fridge, for example, there’s plenty to see; everything is so intricately crafted that you can clearly distinguish every item or read text without zooming in. The same goes for all the books and objects around the house, with special attention drawn to pictures of Belmin from his wedding, adding a really charming touch.
Stunning Graphics Accompany You Throughout the Game
The story revolves around unsettling mysteries hidden in the fictional town of Novazenica and its surroundings. It weaves a personal and emotional narrative exploring themes of memory, guilt, and connection with loved ones. Expect various jump scares, like sudden disappearances of people in front of you or a hand popping out unexpectedly. Though it might sound cheap, these elements are skillfully implemented; early in the game, while running from a room, a girl suddenly appeared in front of me, giving me a genuine fright since it was totally unexpected.
This isn’t a classic horror but leans toward an atmospheric approach. As you solve puzzles, you’ll constantly hear footsteps and various sounds around you, sure to send chills down your spine. In other words, the game gradually builds discomfort through carefully crafted light and sound effects. Besides horror, there are puzzles, which are fairly simple but will test your resourcefulness and creativity since solutions aren’t always obvious. The game is linear, as expected, so you can simply focus on following the given objectives.
The Vanished Soul stands out with two key aspects, the first being the importance of choices, already noticeable in the demo. Your responses in conversations, such as the early phone call with your wife, will likely influence the story’s ending, especially since the goal is to reach her. Moreover, your actions and the paths you choose can shape the narrative, revealing different perspectives, outcomes, and consequences.
No True Horror Moments, Atmosphere Influences Everything
The second key aspect is the dynamic fear system. As Belmin highlighted on Steam, no playthrough is the same when it comes to scary moments, aiming for maximum replayability with randomly generated elements from predefined locations. The demo version might not have showcased this well, but there’s plenty to look forward to if it delivers.
Let’s revisit the puzzles. They range from simple tasks like moving boxes to activate a platform to more complex challenges where you connect electrical circuits to progress. However, it’s not overly difficult. Unfortunately, you can only pick up marked items in the game. I was disappointed with the jump and landing sounds on wooden floors or carpets—they don’t quite fit well. Still, the horror sound effects are generally well-crafted.
You can still play the demo during Steam Next Fest until Monday evening. While the exact release date for the full game isn’t known, the demo lasts a full hour. If you enjoy longer horrors or just atmospheric scares, The Vanished Soul is definitely worth a try.
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