What many people may not realize is that there is actually a fairly large community built around creating horror games in various versions of the RPG Maker engine. Games like Corpse Party, The Witch’s House, Yume Nikki, and Blue Oni have built small but dedicated fanbases, and another game in that category is His Ib. First released in 2012, Ib has garnered a cult following in both Japan and the West and is considered one of his most influential titles among his peers. Putting you in his gallery of surreal and spooky art filled with living paintings, this cult remake of his classic handily proves it’s still capable of wowing players.
In Ib, the player controls a character titled as visiting an art gallery with her parents to see the work of artist Guertena Weiss. As she wanders alone, she finds herself in front of a strange painting that she does not understand. Suddenly, the museum’s power flickers, and Eve finds everyone else gone and the door locked. After she is tempted to physically enter her one of the paintings, she finds herself in a “processed world”, a twisted version of the gallery where the paintings come to life. Some of these paintings are much more hostile than others, Eve’s health is attached to a rose and will kill her if she loses all her petals. You have to explore the world and find a way to escape. Also, she has to meet other people who find themselves stuck along the way.
Ib is pretty much a standard adventure game when it comes to gameplay. You can press A to interact with objects, B to access your inventory, and converse with your partner who is with Y at the moment. No, but with the Pro Controller’s directional pad, I found Ib to be jerky and difficult to control when trying to walk in a straight line. increase. Many of these puzzles are fun and effective brain teasers. However, there is one or two puzzles that feel a little too much trial and error. These are not common, but noticeable when they occur. That said, most puzzles have a consistent logic, and if you know where to look, you can almost always find a hint.
Ib’s most successful aspect is its atmosphere, and even the most colorful scenarios can be genuinely creepy and sickening. Being chased by one of the gallery’s many painted women is something you won’t soon forget, and the game makes a clever use of silence enough that the noise catches you off guard. This is also underpinned by a well-crafted soundtrack that is solemn, macabre and even a bit whimsical at times. The produced world itself is also very interesting to explore and Mr. Weiss’ art is quite bizarre and memorable, adding a layer of charm to the whole experience. It’s short, about 2-3 hours, and has multiple endings, so it’s worth coming back and exploring.
All in all, the Ib proves there is a reason why it is considered a classic among its peers, and for the most part it is still maintained today. There may still be some issues that many games of this type have. It’s just that anything and everything can hurt or kill you, even if it’s not entirely clear that it does, but it’s just not as prevalent as other games I’ve experienced. It’s also less impacted by the fact that you’re constantly finding save points while moving. Between atmosphere, soundtrack, artwork and characters, Ib is definitely something to check out if you enjoy spooky experiences This adventure through art still manages to find ways to scare and stress me more than a decade after its original release. Honestly, it’s impressive.
