A classic genre with a not-so-classic art style return

“DAYMARE: 1998” by Invader Studios brings the classic zombie scenario from the 90s to the modern era with updated graphics, a third-person view and hardcore survival mechanics.

Zombies are a classic phenomenon in the gaming world.

Before the 2000s there were many games out on the market featuring undead/zombies/cannibalistic mutants as the main baddies a protagonist would have to handle.

While “DAYMARE: 1998” will be releasing tomorrow September 17, there is an available demo on Steam for free. This demo will let you test out the mechanics of the game, as well as get a taste of the difficulty for puzzles and enemies.

The demo will drop one of the three protagonists, Liev, right into the heart of the problem, inside a secret United States research laboratory after a mysterious disease breaks out. The task is to find and eliminate any survivors of the mystery disease and to obtain a sample for the study.

The demo can be found on the ‘DAYBREAK: 1998’ Steam Store page.

“DAYBREAK: 1998” is not necessarily bringing anything new to today’s modern gaming market, but it contains classics standards of the genre, some fun mechanics and beautiful graphics.

Multi-Character POV

Multi-character point of view allows for a much fuller story and fleshes out the characters. Only by playing as everyone will a player understand the consequences of this deadly outbreak.

Dreadful Enemies

The monsters and zombies in this game are not pushovers. They will rush the player, pretend to be dead and appear in unexpected places. They are also tough and require headshots to bring down. Body shots are not allowed in this game.

Realistic HUD

For the hardcore players out there, this game has your back. With the option to have all vital information contained in a special fit bit device on the right wrist, checking equipment and stats just became a long sweat soaked process.

All information is stored on this device and it can be your downfall if an enemy is near. It takes five seconds to bring it up and a lot more to select the equipment or ammo needed in a situation.

When you go to grab another clip for your pistol, a zombie could already be munching on your face.

Environmental Puzzles

Puzzles are a staple in many horror games. They switch up the running and fighting by making it more dangerous and add a purpose to actions. Some are not as easy as others, so patience and thought are needed to move on.

Classic Mechanics

All the challenge is taken out when a game is holding your hand and making sure you are well supplied. “DAYMARE: 1998” does not do that.

Ammo is rare and must be used sparingly.

Save points are lacking but players should be happy they are getting as many as they are.

Backtracking is something which will be done constantly to unlock new areas, gain resources and solve puzzles.

As mentioned before, tough enemies are also a classic mechanic this game provides.

Modern Graphics and Effects

Graphics are needed to make a game great, but they are recommended if you want gory realism in your project. Thanks to the Unreal Engine and Invader Studio’s development team, “DAYMARE: 1998” looks great.

 From rain-soaked tile to blood on the walls, the game looks beautiful.

Experience the 90s

Any fans of the older zombie games will appreciate this modern take due to it being filled with nods to its predecessors.

“DAYMARE: 1998” will be coming out tomorrow for PC on Steam.

It has many of the classic mechanics which make zombies the main enemy. Tough opponents, low ammo, blood and a mysterious disease are all featured in this take on the classics of the horror genre.

If zombies, adrenaline and mystery are your forte, then “DAYMARE: 1998” is the next horror adventure for you.