14 DAY TRIAL // A weird creature, like a solid sheet ghost with skulls around its neck, is moving slowly toward my character, the Proofreader. I use my trusty handgun to deliver three shots to the head, as the writing on the wall instructed me, and it turns to ashes. I do the same to another monster that was standing right behind it and also use my pistol to deal with a few flying contraptions, which seem mechanical rather than supernatural.
I loot the rooms around me, getting the materials I might need to activate a save station soon, and read all the many text diaries spread around. The people in this hellish underground installation might be terrified of losing their life or clearly going insane, but they loved to write down their feelings, without directly talking about what’s happening.
A few other monsters get dropped and I turn on my inner essence to light a few very dark corridors. It’s time to cross a massive chasm, which involves briefly interacting with a trolley. I get out of the cells and learn about panic closets, a good battery-powered hiding place. I created no poetry so far, although a weird drone did use some limericks.
Limerick: Cadence Mansion is developed and published by Jenito Studios, LLC. I played a PC preview of the game. The title uses classic first-person shooting and puzzle-solving to power a narrative with horror elements.
The action takes place on Nightsonnet Isle, where an organization seems to be calling an eldritch force into our reality. The Proofreader’s past is unclear and the game doesn’t offer much info on why he is trapped by the Splendor Point Poet's Corporation. He does have supernatural powers and the ability to restore science stations across the world to save his progress.
There’s a lot of written material in this world. I’ve met no live humans during the preview but I know plenty about doctors and other frightened workers. They are afraid for their lives but also scarred by the things they’ve done. The writing for the diaries is decent but pretty horror game standard.
Gameplay in Limerick mixes corridor-focused exploration with puzzles and combat. The Proofreader quickly gains access to a pistol and there’s plenty of ammunition to deal with the limited array of enemies. He also has access to a supernatural attack and can provide his own source of light to make it easier to see the path to new rooms.
Access to new areas is controlled by keys and access badges, some of which are locked behind puzzles. Early on, they are relatively easy to solve as long as gamers do their reading. To avoid danger and regain health, players can also power and hid in special panic rooms.
The game might aim for a horror atmosphere but the preview is not too scary. The location is pretty weird, as are some of the puzzles, but it needs to offer creepier moments to make players feel uncomfortable.
Limerick: Cadence Mansion is a good-looking action-horror experience. The spaces aren’t too big but there are some nice touches here and there. The game helpfully highlights all written information and resources, making it easy to stock up and learn the lore. As the story progresses, I hope to see weirder environments and enemies. The soundtrack is pretty atmospheric but the voice work seems a little phoned in.
Conclusion
The final version of the title also needs to enhance the atmosphere and add to the horror. Limerick: Cadence Mansion combines a lot of influences but seems too safe in its approach. I hope to see more weirdness when the full game arrives.
A preview key was provided by the publisher
