Threshold Review: A Breathtaking Corporate Horror Masterpiece

Threshold Review: A Breathtaking Corporate Horror Masterpiece

Threshold masterfully portrays the unsettling helplessness of corporate life. Beginning with a coveted government job, the player maintains a crucial post outside city walls. Immediately, things feel wrong: a muffled voice, dwindling oxygen, and communication via notes from the previous clerk, Mo.

Gameplay and Mystery

The core gameplay involves keeping a train moving by blowing a horn, a task made challenging by the thin air. Air cans restore breath, but their use leaves a bloody mark on-screen. This strange system raises unsettling questions: a locked toilet, a draining river, and the fate of the previous clerk, Ni. The game cleverly presents clues, leaving room for player interpretation.

Corporate Grind and Unknowable Threats

Maintaining the train’s pace becomes a rhythmic, yet tense, cycle. Additional tasks, like clearing debris, add to the workload, subtly intensifying the mystery. The efficient execution of these menial tasks is oddly compelling, even as they highlight the absurdity of the situation. The game expertly escalates tension, culminating in a spectacular, yet ambiguous, ending.

Accessibility and Verdict

• Developer: Julien Eveillé
• Publisher: Critical Reflex
• Platform: PC
• Availability: Available now on Steam

Threshold offers focused and distraction-friendly modes, adjustable mouse sensitivity and FOV, and support for 15 languages. Its unsettling atmosphere, compelling gameplay, and thought-provoking narrative make it a truly captivating experience. The lingering mysteries ensure that even after the credits roll, the game continues to resonate.