The Works of Mercy

Kept in a psychological thriller atmosphere, The Works of Mercy for PC, PS4 and XONE is a first-person perspective adventure game inspired by classic movies, such as Repulsion and The Tenant by Roman Polanski and The Shining by the unparalleled Stanley Kubrick. The title is developed by Pentacle studio from Poland, composed of members who worked on series like The Witcher and Call of Juarez. The production was supported by a successful Kickstarter campaign.

Plot

Plot in The Works of Mercy tells a story about a personal tragedy and the hero’s dramatic fate connected with it. One day, he receives a phone call from a psychopath, who kidnapped his wife and daughter and to free them, the protagonist has to kill a few people indicated by the kidnapper. Additionally, the maniac left some unpleasant “gifts” at the hero’s house, which suppose to help him conduct his mission. Left with no other choice, the hero has to carry out different commands from the psycho, who constantly watches him through hidden cameras. At the same time, the hero tries to find out answers to the burning questions – who is the mysterious man, why does he seek revenge on his family, and how far can he go to fulfil his plan?

Mechanics

Mechanically, The Works of Mercy combines the best elements of productions like Gone Home and P.T. – a playable teaser of cancelled Silent Hills available for some time on PlayStation Store. Exploration, solving puzzles related to the plot, and talking with the constantly-watching psycho are to backbone of the game. Seemingly gentle pace of gameplay is disrupted by surreal visions the hero vanishing into paranoia experiences and the necessity of committing the mentioned murders, during which you are forced to kill others in innovative ways (e.g. planting explosives into a tube of toothpaste). The game asks a question: how far can one go in order to save the loved ones and how can we handle the increasing feeling of guilt?

Technical aspects

Published on PC, PS4 and XONE, The Works of Mercy utilises the power of Unreal Engine 4, which guarantees amazing graphics. The authors used a wide range of other technologies that ensure almost photorealistic visuals and an unusual immersion level. Additionally, the game supports VR headsets (on PC and PlayStation 4), so you can get even more involved into the game’s disturbing atmosphere.

Last updated on 28 April 2016