It Reaches opens with a familiar horror premise: police officer Jason Thompson responds to a disturbance call at an abandoned hospital, only to find himself trapped within a nightmare that steadily blurs the line between reality, memory and hallucination. While the setup initially feels like territory that horror fans have visited many times before, the game gradually introduces more personal themes tied to Jason’s past trauma, weaving them into an increasingly surreal descent through twisted environments and disturbing encounters. The narrative delivers some genuinely unsettling moments along the way, though its emotional impact never fully reaches the heights it seems to be aiming for, partly because the relatively short running time leaves little room to build a stronger connection with its protagonist. The ending also feels abrupt, bringing the journey to a close before many of its ideas have been fully explored.
The most distinctive element of It Reaches is its bodycam presentation. The fisheye lens, recording overlays and visual distortion create a heightened sense of immediacy that helps distinguish the game from the crowded indie horror landscape. Exploring dark hallways and decaying hospital wings through this perspective can be remarkably effective, particularly when tension is allowed to build naturally. At its best, the presentation creates a convincing sense of vulnerability and claustrophobia. However, the effect can also become a double-edged sword. The aggressive visual filters, chromatic aberration and camera effects occasionally make the experience uncomfortable for reasons that have less to do with horror and more to do with visual strain, and players sensitive to these effects may find themselves fighting the presentation rather than becoming immersed in it.
Gameplay alternates between exploration, puzzle-solving, stealth and combat. The hospital and the increasingly grotesque locations hidden beneath it are largely linear, though optional detours reward curious players with collectibles, ammunition and upgrade materials. The puzzles themselves are straightforward, relying on familiar horror-game staples such as hidden codes, environmental interactions and locked-door solutions. While few of them are particularly memorable, they do a decent job of breaking up the action and maintaining momentum throughout the campaign.
Combat proves more substantial than the opening hours initially suggest. What begins as a largely helpless survival experience eventually grants access to firearms, including a pistol and shotgun that can be upgraded through workbenches using collected bolts or scrap. The upgrade system adds welcome progression and allows players to tailor their weapons toward increased damage, faster reloads or improved accuracy. Gunplay itself feels surprisingly solid for a small independent project, and encounters often benefit from the weight of the weapon feedback. Resource management never becomes especially demanding, but there is enough tension created by limited supplies and threatening enemy encounters to keep players engaged.
The stealth mechanics are where It Reaches introduces its most interesting idea. Several sequences revolve around avoiding relentless creatures that cannot simply be killed, forcing players to hide, create distractions and manage their breathing. Holding your breath while a monster passes nearby creates genuinely nerve-racking moments, especially because stamina governs not only sprinting but also breath control. Unfortunately, one of the game’s strongest concepts feels somewhat underutilised, fading into the background as the adventure progresses. Some of the chase sequences remain effective throughout, but there are also moments where instant deaths, trial-and-error design or awkward checkpoint placement can create frustration rather than fear.
Visually, Emberflight Games demonstrates considerable ambition for a debut project. The lighting design frequently shines, transforming ordinary corridors into threatening spaces filled with uncertainty and dread. Enemy designs are memorable, particularly the grotesque multi-limbed creatures that stalk the player through several sections. Audio also contributes heavily to the atmosphere, with unsettling environmental sounds, impactful weapon effects and effective chase music amplifying the tension. Yet technical shortcomings repeatedly undermine these strengths. Performance struggles are noticeable on PlayStation 5, frame-rate drops can interfere with gameplay, and occasional bugs ranging from enemy pathfinding issues to environmental glitches break immersion at unfortunate moments. Voice acting is similarly inconsistent, with some performances struggling to elevate the material.
Despite its flaws and need for more development time, It Reaches succeeds more often than it fails. Its bodycam perspective, oppressive atmosphere and willingness to blend traditional survival horror with more modern ideas give it a distinctive identity, even if not all of its mechanics are equally polished. The narrative occasionally stumbles, some technical issues prove difficult to ignore, and a few gameplay systems feel underdeveloped compared to their potential. Still, across its roughly five-hour campaign, Emberflight Games delivers enough genuine tension, creative scenarios and memorable imagery to leave a positive impression. It may not reach the upper tier of contemporary indie horror, but as a first effort from a young studio, it demonstrates plenty of promise and offers horror fans a worthwhile trip into the darkness.
Score: 6.8/10