Parasomnia: No REM Demo by BELS Games
As someone who loves horror games as much as they’re tense about them, Parasomnia: No REM provoked a few arrhythmias.
Developed and published by BELS Games, Parasomnia: No REM’s first-person perspective launches you head-on into the unique struggle of sleepwalking and the revelation of childhood trauma during these episodes. Though I only spent half an hour with Parasomnia’s demo, it holds promise for what’s to come…whatever that may be.
Horror games tend to be extra spooky when silence congests the air. Parasomnia uses the stillness to its advantage, and it works.
Unwellness Check
The game commences with a police officer checking out a disturbance at a nearby house. You cautiously follow a path of blood to a basement. On the floor, something is covered by a giant tarp.
Everything goes black and suddenly, you’re playing as Levi who is hanging out at home. Levi sleepwalks and has insomnia, so he takes sleeping pills. As a player, you acquire an array of information as you explore his home and inspect items or documents.
The demo begins a little slow but provides data regarding the disappearance of Levi’s family ten years ago. His home seems ordinary enough…at least until he succumbs to one of his sleepwalking episodes.
I received an instant Silent Hill ambiance: the environment evolves into an “otherworld”, so to speak. Everything is eerie, rusty, and darker. The light switches no longer work, and photographs are visibly distorted.
Some Doors Should Be Left Unopened
Opening and closing doors appears to be more of an annoyance than anything. You have to swing them closed with your mouse, which is vital when you’re being hunted by what appears to be a tall and lanky demonic doll (I’m really not sure what to call it, but it will continue to chase you unless you’re looking at it).
When I tried to swing the door closed with all the muster I had with my mouse, it was rendered useless.
The few times I was caught by the monster, the shock shot me backward in my chair. As I mentioned, the quiet setting should prepare you for jump scares. However, it doesn’t make the abrupt appearance of a monster screaming in your face any less startling. I’m also prone to being easily scared.
Parasomnia is riddled with puzzles. A lot of the time, you have to reconnect with Levi’s sleepwalking state to inspect clues and interact with his surroundings. He appears to have a negative relationship with his late father, and notes regarding his missing family saturate a wall within his home.
That’s all discovered by exploring the house. If you don’t snoop, you don’t get the scoop.
The demo concludes unnervingly, unsurprisingly, leaving even more questions than you had at the start. There is a sacrificial teddy bear, which connects some dots as you progress.
The Verdict
Parasomnia: No REM has a lot of potential to be a haunting psychological experience that stays with you for quite some time. Though terrified, I look forward to the full experience and unveiling Levi’s dark history.
In the meantime, I will practice opening and closing those menacing doors.
The Parasomnia: No REM demo is available on Itch.io.
Watch the official gameplay trailer for Parasomnia: No REM below:
