One of the few horror games I really enjoy is Forewarned by Dreambyte Games. It’s a blast with friends and a challenge solo. Similar to Phasmophobia in design but with its own unique mechanics. Of course it is also Egyptian mythos themed. Its identity separates it entirely from the other games in the same genre that just involve ghost hunting.

Why do I play horror games? It acts as fear exposure therapy for me. As someone who is routinely in scary and powerless situations, games like Forewarned teach me to keep a level head. It also breaks the relationship between fear and danger as I remain in control. The game gives you every chance to win if you handle it tactically and use your head. Even when you do fail and end up dying in the game, I remain fine in real life. I’ve learned to override that fear instinct better because of it. I also have the bonus effect of having less nightmares. My brain doesn’t get the chance to morph fear into danger inside my subconscious.

The game takes place inside a randomly generated Egyptian tomb. The primary goal is to figure out which unique evil Egyptian spirit guards the tomb while collecting gold and collectables, as well as avoiding traps. Each one behaves differently and leaves different evidence. After identifying it, you unlock the inner tomb with its name as the password. Inside the sarcophagus is a relic. That relic you can leave with for a win however as soon as you pick it up, the spirit or “mejai” will physically manifest and begin to hunt you down. Each type has different mechanics to survive it. The entry door will also lock during this phase and you will have to find a blue release switch. After the switch, you can either leave with the relic or head downstairs to try to banish the mejai for extra rewards. Banishing requires 4 jars hidden in chests around the map, the relic, and 1 figurine acquired by solving a puzzle also on the the lower level. All culminating in a final face off against minions.

What was added to the game with it leaving beta:

Two beautiful new maps.

A new mejai type.

A multitude of new puzzles to solve for the figurine.

Updated banishing ritual.

Conclusion:

A wonderful finish for the base game. End phase feels more full and challenging. No longer flat and monotonous. I absolutely enjoy this update and will look forward to future content.