Game Review: True Virus (Xbox Series X)

From Farmind Studio and 100 GAMES comes True Virus, an old-school point and click game with a horror-based story, complex puzzles, and unique visual style. It’s an enjoyable game, provided you have patience, and a pen and paper to hand. Yes, it’s that kind of game.

Set in a small European town that has been locked down due to a virus that turns people into monsters (zombies?), you play a nameless character who wakes up chained to a bed. It’s not as sexy as it sounds, unfortunately.

First, you have to get free, then you need to find out what is going on as you’ve lost your memory (it seems), then you need to find a way out. All while trying to ensure you don’t become a victim to the virus or those infected with it. It’s an uninspired, but solid story with occasional moments of flair that help make it stand out.

Some of which comes from a ‘wacky’ group of characters, the dry sense of humour that the game has, and the fact that it does have some genuinely creepy moments. Aspects that are enhanced by a really unique art style and sound that brilliantly conveys a sense of dread and terror. On these fronts, True Virus can’t be criticised.

However, what it can be criticised for is gameplay and the lack of intuitive aspects that would make it more appealing to those less familiar with traditional point and click games. I am from the era where point and click games baffled and you just how to guess solutions sometimes (I’m looking at you Discworld), and while True Virus isn’t that bad, it does have many head-scratching moments and there isn’t much help to be found within the game itself.

There are far too many moments where you just don’t know how to progress and gamers with less patience will likely throw in the towel. Which is a shame as a lot of the puzzles are interesting and, like all good point and click games, there is always a solution and finding one often creates a domino effect, which can be so satisfying.

Sadly, while I can say that, a casual player simply won’t want to go through this over and over again, and True Virus is not a short game. It is a good game though. It looks so cool, has great sound, a story that keeps you interested (mostly) and old school point and click gameplay that will delight a certain audience. I think it’s worth checking out.