LogFAQs > #929264790

51. Blair Witch (video game) (16.5 points)
Nominated by: Axl_Rose_85 (2/5 remaining)

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Importance: 1.5
Fear: 6
Snake: 9

Blair Witch might be one of the most accurate movie games ever made. You can say what you will about the original 1999 smash hit (which is what this game is based on, not the identically titled 2016 film), but the one thing there's no denying is its huge impact on the found footage genre. The commitment to realism while also crafting a disorienting and claustrophobic feeling is maintained perfectly in the transition from celluloid to the digital space. Just like the film, Blair Witch has the player running around in circles in the forest, clutching their video camera for dear life, encountering effigies, and experiencing hallucinations. Even the plot beats manage to be pretty similar, with things starting off rather unassuming before gradully becoming more and more fucked up as things go on, all culminating at the infamous Rustin Parr house. The story features Ellis, an ex-cop who volunteers to help find a missing kid in the Burkittsville area. He's aided by his pet dog Bullet, who plays a big role in the gameplay and story of Blair Witch. Bullet isn't just Ellis' pet, he's his sanity lifeline, since Ellis suffers from PTSD from his time in military service (it isn't explicitly stated, but most likely the Gulf War considering the time frame). Bullet is an amazing help, and has some of the best partner AI since Haunting Ground. He can follow scents for you, track enemy movements, and make you feel comforted after a good petting, hug, or treat session. Like Elllis, you start to rely on Bullet to get you through the toughest and scariest areas, and if you're anything like me, you'll also be making sure Bullet is safe and still with you in high intensity chases and encounters. This reliance on Bullet will eventually feel like a crutch, as the parts of the game where you do lose Bullet for brief moments can feel like an eternity as you start to panic and wonder how you will ever make it without him. There's even a part near the end of the game where the main antagonist all but forces you to leave a wounded Bullet behind, and it's one of the saddest game moments in years. I've almost never had a virtual pet give me this much emotion and feelings, and the way it ties into the horror of the game is amazing.

Though in my opinion Bullet is the strongest aspect of the game, the more Blair Witch-like elements are fantastic too. You're armed with a video camera like the film, and it incorporates a found footage feature that sees you finding tapes to both piece together the story and to help you solve neat puzzles. You can rewind/fast-forward through the tapes and affect the control of time, which consequently change the enviornment around you. This is like Max's power in LiS transferred to video tape form, and just like in that game, the puzzles are rarely difficult but still satisfying and cool to figure out. Another aspect of the video game camera is the night vision, which may seem a little useless at first, but becomes a valuable asset as the forest plunges you into complete darkness towards the latter portions of the game. These are some of the scariest and tense moments of the game too, since you can only see the monsters through the camera.
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I try in vain to slumber, my reveries gripped by violent terror. My only salvation, the shock of awakening. Something is very, very wrong here.