Co-op horror has felt very repetitive in recent years, but that may change with Rayll’s upcoming Fears to Fathom (F2F) installment: Scratch Creek.
A new take on indie horror, F2F is back and braver than ever.
A new way to play F2F – [Together]
Though Scratch Creek is part of the F2F episodic format, its duo-matchmaking feature is new to the series. F2F has progressed nicely from its bite-sized free episode in July 2021 to its potentially innovative [Together] episodes. This move makes sense considering their last entry focused on the dynamic between characters Sydney and Mike. Predominantly popular on streaming platforms (YouTube and Twitch), adding co-op is an incredibly smart choice to incentivize the larger audience of F2F (the watchers), so that they want to play the game themselves.
F2F already had a clear signature style, ambience, and identity. But the series has made an aesthetic shift recently that separates it from the fear-hungry powerhouses of Chilla’s Art and Puppet Combo, and into territory that is unfamiliar to indie games. Though F2F is slow-burn horror, both Woodbury Getaway and Scratch Creek use nostalgia to lure you into a setting reminiscent of a Stephen King book.
Scratch Creek has the nostalgia of Stand by Me, The Goonies, and Jeepers Creepers. It’s something we’ve yet to see in the indie horror scene. Co-op horror has been around for years, popularized by Left 4 Dead, Resident Evil 5, and Gears of War. The formula typically blended action and horror. It wasn’t until the likes of SCP: Containment Breach, Lethal Company, and the hundreds that followed that set a new co-op trend of comedically dealing with entities, hiding in lockers, and fleeing from danger. It’s a trend that I am frankly sick of.
Creepiness seeps in as you play
F2F lures you in with its story, selling the idea that this horror has happened to someone. If I were to compare F2F to anything, it’d be The Quarry with hints of 80s slasher, being told around a campfire. It uses real threat and rational fear and should feel more intense when experienced with others.
As these games are (allegedly) based on true events, there is that sense of familiarity with how our characters are ordinary people forced to adapt to extraordinary circumstances. Scratch Creek appears cozy at first glance; the co-op lets you and a friend converse with the locals and explore the environment where something terrible is going to happen.
I can see Scratch Creek altering the course of co-op horror in the indie world, where it’s implemented into more story-driven titles
I believe indie horror needs this right now, and hopefully it’s a move in the right direction for co-op. While there are hundreds of options for friends to play together, they are carbon copies of one another, and most fail to capture the magic of what makes the very best work. A copy of a copy of a copy cannot be as good as the original, for its only hope is to replicate its success without ever being a complete product.
Rayll is taking a gamble with Scratch Creek as it takes a detour from its popular formula. Whether it pays off is down to its execution.
I am exhausted by the recent releases that deliver a slightly different setting with no narrative, basic enemy AI, and friendslop that forces the players to create the content themselves. We need more serious co-op horror games, and Scratch Creek should inspire others to unsettle with its storytelling instead of praying for virality that’s a poor imitation of horror tropes.
What is Scratch Creek about?
Scratch Creek will follow Tessa and Marcus’s story, who accidentally end up in Scratch Creek while moving to another state. You can enter the episode solo, choosing either character to play as at the start of the game. Alternatively, play with a friend or random using duo-matchmaking and communicate in-game with proximity chat.
Like any F2F episode, Scratch Creek is a walking-sim first and foremost, with driving and exploration mechanics. The product page hints that this is a choice-based game, but it will likely be similar to Carson House and Woodbury Getaway in its delivery.
Fears to Fathom – Scratch Creek is out June 10 on Steam. Grab a buddy. You don’t have to go this one alone.
