You’re trapped in an endless loop within a liminal dimension, where each loop leads to increasingly unsettling places. Will you find the way out of this psychological horror? The game offers a unique déjà vu experience that blurs the lines between reality and illusion.
A Journey into the Unknown
The Liminal Dimension is a short, single-player psychological horror adventure game that takes you on a haunting journey through a surreal, ever-changing environment. Read on to find out whether it’s a chilling masterpiece or a forgettable foray into the macabre!
A Surreal Tapestry
The narrative is a cryptic and unsettling experience, but in the best possible way! Players assume the role of an unnamed protagonist who awakens in a strange, dreamlike world. As they progress, they encounter a series of bizarre and disturbing encounters, each more unsettling than the last, and you soon learn that not everything is as it seems.
More bizarre and disturbing still is that you don’t encounter new environments, but different versions of the exact same environment – a corridor lined with doors – endlessly, with no indication as to when (or even if) it might end. As you run along the corridor, taking each corner as it comes, you may begin to wonder just how long you have been running for. When you turn back to check, however, you are faced with a solid wall that certainly wasn’t there a moment ago.
As you progress through each level, you will notice small aspects of the environment that don’t seem quite right – anomalies, if you like. As such, when you notice such things, you should act upon them to progress the story further. For example, the very beginning of the game gives you a very subtle, yet clear hint (which I won’t spoil). If you follow this hint, the rest of the game becomes very clear, very quickly.
As you progress, you will notice that there are cryptic notes scattered throughout the world. Each one that you collect paves the way for the next, whenever and/or wherever that may be! While the narrative is open to interpretation, it offers a thought-provoking and disturbing exploration of the human psyche.
A Mind-Bending Maze
The gameplay is a blend of exploration and puzzle-solving. Players must navigate a series of interconnected environments, each more disorienting than the last. The emphasis on atmosphere and exploration creates a sense of dread and uncertainty, and you quickly become immersed in your surroundings. However, there is little in the way of hints in The Liminal Dimension, meaning that unless you are observant, you may struggle to progress quickly.
A Haunting Soundscape
The Liminal Dimension immediately looks great, with excellent audio design to match. Each level looks authentic, yet…strange, in a way that you can’t quite put your finger on. Were those paintings always there…? The overall visual style of The Liminal Dimension is both striking and disturbing. The surreal environments, combined with the game’s clever use of colour and lighting, create a truly unsettling atmosphere.
In addition to that, the eerie soundscape creates a truly immersive experience as you navigate your way through the maze of identical-corridor-hell!
A Haunting That Lingers
The Liminal Dimension offers a unique and disturbing experience. While the cryptic narrative and challenging puzzles may not be for everyone, its haunting atmosphere and impressive audio design make it a worthwhile experience for fans of psychological horror.
In terms of replay value, there unfortunately isn’t much reason to return to The Liminal Dimension. It is a short, linear experience with a single outcome and once it has been completed, that’s it! However, there is an incentive to return if you wish, at the very end of the game – time. Once complete, you are presented with how long it took you to reach the end. As such, the game subtly invites those inclined to speedrun games back for another crack at the whip.
Conclusion
The Liminal Dimension is a solid contribution to the popular Liminal-themed-games genre. There are several aspects that will utterly baffle you and even some aspects that might make you jump. It was fun uncovering the “story” as the game progressed, with the discovery of notes and tidbits along the way. However, given that I managed to complete the game in around half an hour, it’s fair to say that the story isn’t particularly deep. Each level has been put together well, and it’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into each stage. The overarching sense of unease is both constant and brilliant – it stays with you long after you round the final corner!
Pros
- Highly-eerie atmosphere.
- Good audiovisual design.
- The sense of dread is well-implemented.
Cons
- Very short.
- There is little replay value.
