First Impressions of Crow Country
"Crow Country" is an upcoming horror game in the style of Resident Evil and inspired by PS1, and a fantastic free demo has just been released. As someone who loves horror and RE, it can often be difficult to find something that channels those early PlayStation Capcom games but still has a desire to modernize the formula and do something truly unique. I'm happy to say that "Crow Country" fits that bill perfectly. You can try the game out for yourself right now.
The demo of "Crow Country" sends you into a rural Georgian theme park of the same name, with no set release date. It's the year 1990, and you're searching for the park's owner, Edward Crow. However, you quickly realize that the titular park is not what it seems: strange biohazard-like creatures are everywhere, and the classic survival horror style of Resident Evil comes into play.
Game Mechanics and Design
"Crow Country" stands out for its visual elements. It takes inspiration from classic Resident Evil games but takes them to new places. While conserving resources and solving puzzles during exploration, "Crow Country" gives you full camera control and weapon control, allowing you to change your perspective and aim your weapon in any direction - think Resident Evil 4, but presented more like Resident Evil 1.
The game combines these elements with incredibly smooth controls. It's evident that "Crow Country" takes its inspiration from RE but uses it as a springboard to change the way you see and explore the world and how you engage with enemies with more precision. It's a small difference, but it really makes the game feel modern.
Aesthetic Design
In addition, "Crow Country" has excellent aesthetic design; all the characters and crow mascots look cute and cuddly, but the CRT overlay, music, sounds, and oppressively dark visuals give it a fittingly eerie atmosphere.
I found the exploration mode very appealing, where you can play "Crow Country" without being attacked. It's a small change with a big impact, giving you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the atmosphere and solve the game's puzzles without fear of enemies.
Try it Yourself
You can learn more about "Crow Country" and download the free demo now on Steam. Be sure to give feedback to the SFB Games team after playing to help them make it as good as possible before release.
