8Bit/Digi

Prologue to a Nightmare

At first glance, BAN: The Prologue of GUCHA GUCHA has all the hallmarks of a classic, horror-inspired game: atmospheric cutscenes that set the mood, unsettling designs that keep you on edge, and monsters drawn from Japanese folklore. But once you start playing, much of that careful buildup is undone in a moment.

BAN: The Prologue of GUCHA GUCHA is one of those titles that does almost everything right—except for delivering a polished game. Instead, the game feels like it’s still in early beta, marred by performance issues. It’s a shame because everything else about it was set up for the perfect horror experience.

Rescuing Your Dog

Players take on the role of Shoko Yuki, a university student out for a walk with her dog, Chocolat. When a strange creature ambushes them, Chocolat bolts into the nearby woods. Refusing to abandon her beloved pet, Shoko ventures into the forest to search for her dog. When darkness falls upon the area, otherworldly creatures begin to emerge, forcing you to survive untold horrors.

If you’re a fan of Japanese horror like Siren or the works of Junji Ito, you’ll have an idea of what to expect. BAN: The Prologue of GUCHA GUCHA is an experience that skillfully uses the environment to heighten its nightmarish atmosphere. Demons roam, and the world around you begins to unravel. All you have are your wits and the ability to run like hell at a moment’s notice.

A Forbidden Temple

From the start, I have truly enjoyed the cutscenes, reminiscent of horror games from the classic PS2 era. They are visually stunning and unnerving, maintaining a balance between creepy atmosphere and genuinely frightening moments throughout the experience. Even during calmer scenes, a disturbing sense of unease lingers, heightening the horror tension subtly. If you know what to watch for, you can feel the underlying dread woven into every frame and detail displayed onscreen.

When the terror truly begins, BAN: The Prologue of GUCHA GUCHA demonstrates an impressive ability to set the mood. It achieves this through its striking use of color contrasts and carefully crafted lighting settings throughout the game. The blend of shadowy darkness with bold colors and eerie imagery creates an immersive atmosphere. This haunting aesthetic allows the game’s unnerving creatures and unsettling design elements to establish a nightmarish experience for the player.

Don’t Come in Here

BAN: The Prologue of GUCHA GUCHA got me excited with its trailer and home screen, but the minute I played the game I was completely disappointed. This is a game that plays and feels like a project that is still in its beta stage. The controls feel janky to work with. The HUD displays look like they were just slapped on with no real way to integrate it into the game. At the same time, it has all the movement and lighting fixtures seen in poorly developed asset flips.

These are not staples of an indie game but of an asset flip title. It has all the hallmarks of an asset flip that was made with low effort just to get some quick cash. The only reason I don’t dismiss it as such is because the cutscenes, its play with visuals, and creature designs say otherwise. At the same time, the mini-game is fun to play when the chance comes up.

The point is so much effort was put into other aspects of the game that I can see that this is truly an attempt at making a horror experience. It just should have waited until it was properly ready before it launched.

Night of Horrors

BAN: The Prologue of GUCHA GUCHA is a horror experience that does everything right, except for being a polished game. It knows how to set the tone while its cutscenes are a work of art. Yet it lacks so much polish that it has all the hallmarks of an asset flip. This is not fair since effort was actually put into every other aspect of the game.

Disclaimer: The publisher through a PR representative provided the game used for this review.

This review is the critique and thoughts of one writer. If you want to see how other critics felt then check it out on OpenCritic.

8Bit/Digi is an independent media outlet that provides insight into the gamer community of the San Francisco Bay Area.

BAN: The Prologue of GUCHA GUCHA (PC)

3

Poor

3.0/10

Pros

• Cutscenes reminiscent of those seen in horror games from the PS2 era.
• Knows how to set the mood with its use of colors and darkness.

Cons

• Lacks polish and feels like a game that is still in its beta stage.
• Has the hallmarks of an asset flip title when it clearly isn't.
• Needed more time to work out the bugs and jank.