Verho: Curse of Faces is one of those games that you’ll either love or hate. If you are a fan of the PS1/PS2 franchise King’s Field, you will adore everything that this has to offer. However, if you hated the series with a passion, you’ll want to give this game a miss. After all, it is where the Souls genre was born, and the lack of hand-holding is enough to drive you insane.
Kasur Games developed this role-playing adventure title, and CobraTekku Games published it. It is a single-player first-person experience that is dark and sinister. It’s also tough, and you will wonder why you jumped in and started playing so soon. However, if you can push past the madness and learn the basics, you will find a captivating, challenging and weird title that is extremely rewarding.
Verho: Curse of Faces tells an unnerving tale.
The idea that seeing someone’s face is enough to get you killed makes my skin crawl. Yet, this is exactly what happens in Verho: Curse of Faces. An ancient curse has decimated mankind. If you happen to see someone else’s uncovered face, you both die! This is obviously problematic, and humanity overcame this problem by using masks. These tools became more than protection, though. They helped form a new understanding of society, power, and domination.
The story is wonderfully told in the opening cutscene and the elements of law you discover as you explore your surroundings. However, once you’ve picked your mask, aka your class, you are set into the cursed ancient lands to find items, develop, learn, and make the most of your time.
Classes are not rigid, and this was an amazing design choice. Yes, you can become a warrior, thief, or mage, and stick to that path, but it isn’t likely. Different weapons and items change your path and how you allocate your skill points. Your character tree evolves and grows in different directions, and you become a hybrid or watered-down version of yourself. This may annoy some people, but I liked the flexibility and the ability to adapt to whatever I found.
Slow down.
Rushing around and seeking immediate rewards will get you nowhere. Verho: Curse of Faces punishes those who do not pay attention. Furthermore, there is no map, and you have no guide for your list of quests. Consequently, you must pay attention, or you’ll lose your way.
This has a distinct retro design, as you may have to listen to instructions and note down your tasks. Moreover, learning your surroundings as opposed to using a computer-created map makes things much harder. I took to drawing out my areas and studying everything I faced. After all, there is no point in knowing where to go if every enemy kills you.
Talking of enemies, they are occasionally brutal. You must master your weapon of choice and go with the flow if you decide to mix things up. Timing your attacks, using your surroundings, and being wise about how you approach things are suitable tactics to survive each encounter.
Verho: Curse of Faces is a little grim.
I describe Verho: Curse of Faces as grim. It isn’t particularly gruesome to play; it’s more that it hurts your eyes because of its horribly blocky style. Now, I wasn’t bothered as I like retro gaming, but it won’t win awards for beauty. Additionally, it isn’t the smoothest to observe, and it was sometimes a little janky. This adds to the old-school style, but I would have liked something a bit cleaner.
If you like dark fantasy music and moody atmospheres, you will love the audio. It has a deep and sombre soundtrack that loves to bubble and simmer as you explore. The mixture of oppressive songs and silence highlights the barren nature of the world. Furthermore, the use of impressive sound cues, ambient sounds, and brutal sound effects adds to the deadly nature of the game.
Clunky controls.
Old-school-inspired titles love to focus on challenging control systems. Verho: Curse of Faces doesn’t want you to button-bash, and it has a more defined style. This makes it harder to master, and you’re more prone to making mistakes. Yet, practice makes perfect, and you get used to it after the first hour or so.
With the fluid character builds, story choices, layers of lore, and brilliant exploration, this has plenty of replay value and longevity. I completed my first playthrough and expected a familiar second attempt. However, I was wrong, and a different character build and choices pushed my game down a unique rabbit hole.
Verho: Curse of Faces is a little niche.
The word niche can be a bit misleading. I don’t mean that Verho: Curse of Faces will be unpopular, because it won’t. Yet, its appeal is definitely niche. A small fanbase will adore the challenge, old-school visuals, and fantasy sound design. But it will not appeal to gamers who need instant rewards. Accordingly, if you sit in camp 1, I recommend buying a copy here! Can you find the source of the curse and make the right choice? Pick your mask, explore the world, and become a hero or not.
