Image: Abraxaes

It's okay to not know what's going on in Divine Frequency. You might not even be able to see straight, given how dark its world is and how aggressive the VHS filter effect is by default. The game hints that you might be some kind of dream-diving sage working for an esoteric order that protects humanity's collective unconscious. Or you could just be a weird trashcan hobo and imagining it all. Reality is soft around the edges. Key items sometimes talk to you. You find a note on the wall firmly asserting that you are not being followed. Good to know. There are several masked people with axes trying to kill you, though.

I've been excitedly following the development of Divine Frequency since it was a Doom mod pieced together out of sprites and textures from other games. Now, it's a full-fledged retail game, albeit in early access, and I'm very happy to say that after a long, messy road of development (including one of the lead developers passing away), this is peak spooky season material, at least from the little bit I've played so far.

Most horror games nervously walk a line between empowerment and fear. Divine Frequency obliterates that line. You are powerful. The very first pistol you find fires explosive rounds that deal 'Hypertrauma' damage. You absorb psychic powers like a sponge. You are constantly pressured, hounded, and menaced by things that can tear you to shreds in moments. You are simultaneously all-powerful and as fragile as paper, no matter which of the three starting classes (Melee Berserker, Psychic Gun-Wizard or Cannibal Mutant) you pick.

It's hard to pin down exactly how Divine Frequency pulls off this trick. It's doing something to short-circuit the logic of game design, continually doling out new power while also never letting the player feel safe, especially once the game takes the player out of crumbling pseudo-sewers into stranger, more esoteric and dreamlike locations. There's a juicy demo so you can get a feel for the game before putting money down, but it's also worth mentioning that the game is still in early access.

Interestingly, the early access release features the first two-thirds of the regular game, which the developers estimate will take most players 4-6 hours on a first playthrough. The third act will be added later down the line, with the current estimate on the final release being in another year's time, maybe two at a stretch. Interestingly, one big feature is planned for the final release - a 'Hardcore' mode that promises "vastly different" gameplay systems, with new weapons, enemies, reworked encounters and other surprises.

Divine Frequency is out now for £17.75/$20 with a 10% launch discount running until November 9th, and no plans to raise the price further. From what I've played so far, even if it's just the first two-thirds of the story, this feels worth the money.