From The Brotherhood, the masterminds behind the sci-fi horror isometric point and click game, Stasis, comes Cayne; a free follow-up title set in the same universe. You play as Hadley, a woman who is nine months pregnant with a baby that she has an obvious disdain towards. Waking alone, and in quite a scary situation, Hadley must uncover the secrets of the Cayne facility and escape, with only a seemingly friendly voice to accompany her through the blood-soaked corridors and gore ridden rooms.
If you have not yet played Stasis, do not fret, as you will be able to completely enjoy and understand the story within Cayne regardless. Although Cayne only lasts for a couple of hours (if you know what you're doing), the characters this time around are much more detailed when it comes to their personalities and background; a trait that was lacking a bit in Stasis. The Brotherhood have stepped up their writing prowess in this release, and it's definitely felt through the immersion of the game, that is if you so choose to let yourself become swept up in the story. Much of it can be avoided if you decided not to read the PDAs that are scattered through the levels, but why would you want to rob yourself of such an experience?
The gameplay is done in the style of your typical classic isometric point and click, complete with pixel hunting. The puzzles are much less obscure than what was featured in Stasis, but there are still clues and solvents that are easy to miss if you bypass certain PDA logs. There's nothing groundbreaking here, it's just nostalgic point and click fun. Much of the atmosphere and graphics are the same as what was featured in Stasis; copious amounts of blood and gore, all wrapped up in a giant sci-fi themed laboratory all the while being backed by deep, cinematic soundscapes. However, The Brotherhood have added cutscenes into this release, which as far as I recall were not an aspect that was present in Stasis.
If you've got a couple of hours to spare, then there's no reason as to why you would want to pass up Cayne; especially if you played and enjoyed Stasis. It's an excellent throwback to oldschool isometric point and click horror titles such as I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, and Sanitarium. If you let it, the detailed story will completely engulf for the duration of your stay. It's a great, free introduction into the world of Stasis, and if you enjoy this experience make sure to check that title out as well. Currently, The Brotherhood are working on an even larger release known as Beautiful Desolation, which is due out in late 2019.
Rating: 5.0/5.0 - An astonishing achievement, this game must be played.The Horror Network
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