Postgame Review: Hidden Objects – Cursed Digicam

Last Updated: January 15, 2025

Table of Contents

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Hidden objects in a paranormal crime mystery

Key Takeaways:

  • Unique mechanics: The cursed camera adds a fresh twist to hidden objects horror gameplay.
  • Immersive visuals: Unreal Engine 5 brings a hauntingly detailed atmosphere to life.
  • Eerie audio: The sound design perfectly complements the creepy visuals and story.
  • Tense pacing: The concise 60-90 minute playtime keeps the horror tight and engaging.
  • Lag issues: Some performance hiccups, even on medium settings.
  • Low replayability: The linear design and single ending.

Introduction

In my childhood, I remember it was in the early 2000s I learned about horror from other countries. My first introduction to this was Japanese horror. From the unsettling silence to subtle horrors both psychological and visceral that have hidden objects and stories.

I finally found a genre that meshed with my tastes. Recently, I was yearning for that furtive intrigue in gaming. When I heard of Chilla’s Art’s new hidden objects indie horror, I had to check it out. If you want more horrors, check out my Top Indie Psychological Horror Games: Newcomer’s Guide.

Chilla’s Art, the Japanese horror indie dev studio, known for games like “Jisatsu” and “The Bathhouse,” published a new indie horror game: “Cursed Digicam”. Released on January 9, 2025, it runs on PC via Steam.

This game offers a fresh spin on psychological horror by blending supernatural hidden objects (ghost) elements with a realistic immersive sim. Now, let’s explore my review of the indie horror hidden objects – Cursed Digicam!

Overview

In “Cursed Digicam”, you get a cursed digital camera from a medium presumably as instructed on a Spirit Liberation Center website to hunt spirits (the hidden objects). This isn’t your average point-and-shoot camera, where you aim and shoot.

This camera captures images of ghosts. Upon further reading of the website, our main character, the father, reads that by uploading photos of these spirits, he can free his loved ones.

So, armed with this eerie device, we set out for the local park, which was the last known location of someone close to the father we play. The game is a concise experience, clocking in at about 60 to 90 minutes, depending on your play style and achievement grinding.

Unlike some of Chilla’s Art’s previous games, “Cursed Digicam” features one, definitive ending.

The Story

Like any story, it kicks off with an inciting incident, the loss of the father’s daughter, Mitsuka, and obtaining the cursed camera. This sets the stage for a chilling journey through our character’s psyche and the paranormal.

Spoilers

The dad’s objective is to take pictures of the ghost of Mitsuka and upload those images to the website that promises liberation. After looking at the missing poster of presumably Mitsuka, we ventured to the park that he and Mitsuka often visited.

This park was the last known whereabouts of his daughter. As you explore the park, you can find eerie scenes like disembodied hands clutching a broken tree or a kid pointing at you from in front of vending machine.

As you capture more images of Mitsuka’s spirit, more bits of the story are revealed through dialogue. You learn about a set curfew due to kids going missing and learn about a kid’s body being found.

By the time night falls, you start encountering more horrific scenes and a mysterious mascot figure, whose posters are scattered around the park.

Soon, you begin seeing this mascot figure stalking you throughout the park. By the time the rain starts, you should have all 15 pictures and leave the park.

We return to the father’s apartment, and we see how unsanitary and depressing it looks. Bugs infest the area by the refrigerator and Mitsuka’s room is locked as garbage bags and alcohol bottles litter the home.  The father uploads the images of Mitsuka’s spirit to the website.

Once the 15 images are uploaded, we see a video of a girl sitting on a springer rider. Then, it cuts to her running from someone before sealing herself off in the restroom. After the video ends, the father looks up toward the kitchen and sees a shaded woman standing before vanishing.

He realizes “she” is still there and does the “Lost Spirit – Liberation – Method” again. As we encounter more images of our daughter and this female spirit, we find the female spirit’s corpse behind the refrigerator. Noises then lure us into Mitsuka’s room, where we encounter the mascot and get knocked out.

Upon awaking, we encounter a dark apartment, where the mascot intruder stalks us. Equipped with the supernatural camera, we fend off the intruder but are then ambushed in our daughter’s room.

We then awoke to knocks at the door and find the same missing poster of presumably Mitsuka but the name, now unredacted, was Manami Koudan. Our computer then begins flashing and humming.

On the computer screen, we upload 15 of the same exact images of Mitsuka and get an error. Soon after, a video plays of Mitsuka encountering something supernatural or tangible. We then see the father go to Mitsuka in the video before it ends.

As we pull away from the video, we are lured to the house phone. Standing near the phone, we see a girl crawl from the bathtub, filled with water and stained with blood. She crawls over to us before she changes to a more macabre state and dials the number to the police where she states,

“… My father… Manami Koudan was… killed by my dad…”

Police are then heard pulling up outside the apartments we live in. The father then goes to answer the door. He runs from the police and throws the camera over the balcony.

We can see, from the broken camera lens, the father jumps to his death followed by the ghost of Mitsuka. The mascot’s hand grabs the camera, implying the being is connected to this camera.

Spoiler End

Unlike some of Chilla’s Art’s earlier works, which offer multiple endings, “Cursed Digicam” presents a singular, possibly somber conclusion, staying true to the studio’s style for delivering emotionally impactful storylines.

The Gameplay

Drawing inspiration from classics like Fatal Frame, “Cursed Digicam” centers its gameplay around the cursed camera, exploration, and hidden objects finding.

Your main task is to explore the park and apartment, locate the ghost of your daughter while incidentally encountering the eerie mascot, and photograph them. Running can help get you around faster but doesn’t necessitate its use until you are stalked in your apartment.

You can also examine objects that are interactable, though I found no information from doing so, aside from admiring artwork or items in Mitsuka’s room.

A hint system is also integrated into the game to help you find the hidden objects ghosts. By calling numbers apparently left by your daughter on a phone, you receive clues to aid in your ghost hunt.

This feature ensures that players can progress without unnecessary frustration, maintaining the game’s pacing and tension.

Though, I will say most if not all hidden objects hauntings can be found by exploring. In fact, I was able to find them all on my first playthrough without the phone hints.

Mapping

The controls map easily in his game, whether you are using a keyboard or controller. You’ll find the input is smooth and responds promptly. The only issue you might get with input response is when the game encounters lag.

Graphics and Audio

“Cursed Digicam” marks Chilla’s Art’s venture into Unreal Engine 5, resulting in a noticeable enhancement in the visual fidelity of Chilla’s Art designs. The environments, particularly the park and hidden objects, are rendered with impressive detail, contributing to the game’s immersive and eerie mood.

The audio design complements the visuals, with ambient sounds and subtle cues that heighten the sense of dread and anticipation and guide you. This combination elevates the hidden objects horror experience, making each moment more impactful.

Performance and Technical Aspects

While the shift to Unreal Engine 5 brings improved graphics, it also demands more from your hardware. The game requires a 64-bit processor and operating system, with a minimum of 8 GB RAM and a graphics card equivalent to an NVIDIA GTX 1060 with 6GB VRAM Steam Store.

There are also some issues with lag. I noticed this while playing on custom, high and medium settings. Though this does not harm the game in any way, ensuring your GPU drivers are up to date can help mitigate these issues.

Otherwise, the experience can irk you a bit if you spot a hidden objects occurrence but miss it due to lag.

Length and Replayability

With a playtime of approximately 60 to 90 minutes and a single ending, “Cursed Digicam” offers a concise yet impactful hidden objects experience. While the linear narrative limits replayability, the achievements can support playing it again.

Plus, with the area select option available after completing the game, you can pinpoint the achievement you want to get.

Closing Thoughts

“Cursed Digicam” showcases Chilla’s Art’s continued evolution in the indie horror scene. The integration of a camera mechanic, combined with the atmospheric environments rendered in Unreal Engine 5, delivers a fresh and immersive horror experience in the hidden objects genre.

While the game’s linearity may not appeal to everyone, it offers a compelling though vague story and a chilling world that make it a worthwhile addition to any horror game collection. If you’re a fan of psychological horror with a unique twist, “Cursed Digicam” is definitely worth your time.

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