Scarred is a psychological horror adventure developed by KOEX Studio and published by The Iterative Collective. The game was released on April 16, 2025, for PC, with support for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
With an intense and introspective narrative approach, Scarred immerses the player in a dark and personal story, tackling sensitive themes such as trauma, alienation, and memory.
A personal nightmare between reality and memory
Scarred puts us in the shoes of Alan Wong, a high school student who wakes up on a disturbing night in front of his apartment building, with no memory of how he got there. Thus begins a disturbing journey in an environment that soon proves to be more of a nightmare than a concrete reality. His classmate, Olivia, is missing, and the building Alan wanders through transforms into a labyrinth of memories, surreal elements, and ghostly presences. The game addresses delicate themes such as abuse, guilt, social isolation, and trauma through a linear narrative, without the possibility of deviation or free exploration.
Intense atmosphere but limited interaction
From a visual standpoint, Scarred impresses with the care put into its environments. Lighting is well balanced, and architectural details manage to convey a sense of oppression and realism that supports the narrative well. However, this immersion is partly undermined by a general stiffness: objects in the environment are non-interactive, remaining static even when bumped into, and there are frequent model clipping issues. Character animations are stiff, and facial expressions lack emotional depth, limiting empathy during the more intense scenes.
Powerful storytelling, but minimal gameplay
The strength of Scarred lies mainly in its story: a journey into Alan’s subconscious as he tries to confront his traumas and face the past. The progression is entirely linear—there are no multiple choices, narrative branches, or freely explorable zones. This approach supports a solid narrative but reduces the player’s sense of agency. The puzzles, present at certain points, are very simple and serve more to slow down the pacing than to challenge the mind.
Underwhelming audio and voice acting
Another weak point is the audio component. The English voice acting is rather weak: some lines are delivered with heavy accents, making the dialogues less believable and undermining the overall atmosphere. The quality of the acting is also lacking, especially in moments that should be emotionally impactful. The soundtrack, on the other hand, does a decent job accompanying the more intense sequences, even if it mostly stays in the background.
Conclusion
Scarred is an indie title that places its focus on narrative and atmosphere. The story is touching and deals with deep themes with sensitivity, but the gameplay experience is hampered by minimal mechanics, almost nonexistent environmental interaction, and technical shortcomings. Nevertheless, those who appreciate strongly guided narrative experiences with a psychological core may find Scarred to be an interesting, though imperfect, title.
Scarred
PRO
- Intense story and deep themes
- Well-crafted visual atmosphere
- Strong artistic direction
CON
- Rigid and minimal gameplay
- Weak voice acting
- Simple and linear puzzles
6/10
