A mysterious mansion awaits you as you skulk through the decrepit halls, casually glancing over your shoulder for threats you don’t see. The undead could pop out of the corner at any moment and kill you. You inch towards an unfamiliar, decaying door, imagining the scenarios that could unfold. Since you don’t have much ammunition left, you might have no choice but to book one of them if one is inside. Carefully, you twist the door knob —
Suddenly a wave of relief washes over you as a realization dawns. Whatever nightmares lie outside will have to wait. This … is a safe room.
Those who have played Resident Evil know how this feels. While the zombies can’t get to you, the only thing standing between them and you is you. There’s usually a typewriter in these iconic save rooms. You can usually store or retrieve items in large cargo containers.
As a matter of fact, Resident Evil 4 evolved this mechanic into a minigame in its own right. In the game, your inventory was divided into a set number of squares, and each weapon/item took up a certain amount of space. Thus, it was necessary to learn inventory management in order to be fully prepared for biological nightmares. Despite admitting inventory management became a minigame by itself, I never imagined it would become a full game.
Review Takeaways
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Despite being a great concept, Save Room wears its inspiration on its sleeve and fails to define itself.
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The aesthetic is solid, capturing most of Resident Evil’s sense of hopelessness.
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It could be improved with more levels, higher difficulty, and stakes in a sequel.
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At times, it feels like a mobile game.
My Final Rating is 8/10.
