“Go to Grandmother’s House. And stay on the path.” Those are your only instructions in this surreal Red Riding Hood indie game. Choose from 6 sisters, send them off through the forest to grandma’s house and see if they make it there unharmed.
In this simple exploration game, all you control is where the character walk/runs and who and what they interact with. Occasionally you will find objects, such as flowers, a hypodermic needle, a knife and they will go into your inventory, but they serve no purpose other than as collectibles. There are certain landmarks in the forest which you will encounter each time you visit, but depending which sister you choose, the results may vary. Even grandma’s house changes, like something out of Alice in Wonderland, with hidden doors and upside down rooms. 
Beware the Wolf. While there is nothing that could be described as outright violent, the entire mood of the game is suggestive and disturbing, including the Wolf. Each sister will encounter her own “wolf” character which will lead to her downfall. Although not mentioned as a goal at the start of the game, it’s considered a failure if you don’t find the wolf. So don’t be the good little girl who does what they’re told.
This game is definitely NOT for everyone, even priced at $10. It’s extremely slow, sometimes excruciatingly so. There aren’t that many interactive elements, and even when there are, the interaction isn’t particularly interesting. If you can appreciate an art film once in a while, then you might enjoy this game. What the game lacked in action, it made up for visually. It set the mood perfectly with its illustrative style, lighting and saturated colors, sometime blurring focus and having all sorts of scribbles constantly appearing on the sides of the screen. The audio is equally eerie, with children’s voices singing, heavy breathing and the repetitive plucking of a string instrument. I think a lot of mainstream horror games lack the emotional quality this game has, such as the heightened sense of loneliness and vulnerability. I recommend trying it only if you can appreciate a game that’s all about mood and not action.
Available for download from Steam, or directly from the game site.
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July 19, 2009
#1
I was so bummed when I played this. I wanted this to really creep me out and instead I was bored. It might have helped if the running was faster and the controls tighter.
It was also too deep for me to “get it” but I think that’s more of a reflection on me. Graphically, you hit it on the head.
July 19, 2009
#2
Yeah, my first instinct was to give the game 2 stars, because there was so little in terms of gameplay. But it grew on me after I managed to kill off a few of the girls. I definitely expected more from it based on a lot of other reviews I read.
July 21, 2009
#3
This looks like it should be one of the creepiest things I’ve ever seen. The mediocre review makes me a sad panda.