Postgame Review: Top PC Horror Games – Ten Bells

Last Updated: December 4, 2024

Table of Contents

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Each bell tolls for thee in PC horror games

Key Takeaways

  • Innovative Gameplay: As an anomalies game, it combines psychological horror with escape-room mechanics, focusing on anomaly detection for progression.
  • Atmospheric Design: Utilizes Unity engine for detailed, moody visuals and an immersive audio landscape, enhancing the eerie pub setting.
  • High Replayability: Randomized anomalies ensure a unique experience with each playthrough, appealing to both new players and repeat gamers that play PC horror games.
  • Indie Development: Crafted by Hillfort Games and Acrylic Pixel, at $9.99 currently, Ten Bells offers a fresh narrative within the horror genre, inspired by classic and contemporary horror elements.

Overview

Slow day, huh?

Have you ever entered a place, going through your usual routine, and yet something suddenly nags at you. At first, it might be a slight change like a missing items—no big deal.

Then you notice chairs were not in their usual place, but you brush it off as nothing important. Yet as strange things occur, from odd stains to distant crying, you realize something is seriously wrong.

You begin question your surroundings, steadily dreading what could happen next. This is what the game Ten Bells is like.

Great mood and atmosphere over here.

Ten Bells is a liminal space horror developed by Hillfort Games in collaboration with Acrylic Pixel. Set in a mysterious English pub—called The “Ten” Bells—on a drizzling, rainy day, the game blends elements of psychological horror with an escape room style.

Among PC horror games, this one encourages you to uncover hidden anomalies within the pub to unravel its dark history​ before you are trapped or consumed by unnatural happenings.

The Story

Behold, a sneak peek into this lovely lady’s Impressionist era.

The game starts with an unnamed protagonist entering the funeral for a deceased woman, where a blurry portrait of the unknown woman hangs on the wall in front of you. The only information you get from start is a note that you are free to explore the pub and can proceed to the Private Room if everything is in order.

If things are not in order, meaning you spot an anomaly, you must return to the main entrance to progress. From there, you are thrown into eye of the storm, and the story steadily unfolds as you encounter key anomalies and uncover more documents.

As I played, the story was unclear at first. Though, as I achieved “The Bell” and continued until I reached the “The Ten Bells”, it all came together well enough. I got the standard, or I guess bad ending, first.

However, by the second playthrough, I got the happy ending. From my perspective, the ghostly tale bleeds through in the pub’s mysterious past. The anomalies and objects found within the game, each add layers to the spooky backstory​.

The Gameplay

Pull up a seat?

Gameplay in anomaly style PC horror games, like Exit 8, involves using observation and detail-oriented skills to spot anomalies as you explore. In Ten Bells, you explore the pub and identify subtle or overt anomalies. These anomalies range from misplaced objects to surreal occurrences that challenge your perception.

Yet, what sets this game apart is not only can you run but you are in imminent danger. The game’s design emphasizes observation and problem-solving, with you needing to decide when to push forward or retreat based on your findings​.

In the beginning, the gameplay confused me but never caused frustration as after going through the Private Room the first time, it was clear how the game worked. Once I learned what to do, exploring and understanding the details of pub helped progress me to the next set of bells.

I will say that you don’t need to go overboard on memorizing every detail like I did, although sometimes it paid off. Despite the my unnecessarily thorough detailing of the pub, I had a thrilling and fun experience. The variety of anomalies and gameplay made this one of the funnest games to be played in the genre.

Graphics and Audio

He’s going to wear his eyes out staring like that.

As one of the anomaly style PC horror games, Ten Bells uses the visual design effectively. Made in the Unity engine, the devs created a detailed and atmospheric setting within the English pub.

Dramatic lighting and high-quality textures enhance the game’s eerie ambiance, though some character animations may appear stiff.

The man behind the bar isn’t very animated and walks as if he has a bad back. I will add that one anomaly he is involved in makes his movement kind of eerie. Likewise, the woman behind the bar has little expression too, though the smile did make me laugh when I saw it.

She’s a quiet person.

The audio design excels in my opinion. With no voice acting, the game’s setting and anomalies carry the sound and do a great job of it. The rich array of sound effects and tense musical score enhances the foreboding atmosphere​.

Performance and Technical Aspects

Must be Halloween already.

Ten Bells is optimized for a smooth performance as found on most PC horror games, with most reviews noting its stable gameplay with minimal technical issues.

One player mentioned,

“One thing that stood out to me was that I never really ‘felt’ the load-in changes. The anomalies, especially the one shown in the trailer (the giant bell), were pretty seamless.”

While another player shared,

“Good scares, nice challenge, nice twist in normal ending, happyish true ending, great atmosphere. There was a bug where my mouse cursor disappeared on the title screen after getting true ending, but that’s my only complaint.”

The game is set to support a variety of player experiences, whether for quick playthroughs or more extended sessions​ (Steam Store).

Enhance Your Gaming Setup: Before taking up a seat to Ten Bells, try and make your late-night horror gaming marathons more comfortable.

Consider upgrading to the TECKNET Wireless Mouse. In fact, this mouse made my anomaly detection smoother as it helped get me to the 11th bell. Its ergonomic design and adjustable DPI made it perfect for navigating through the most intense scenes. Check it out here!

Length and Replayability

I see you too.

The game offers a short but intense play experience, typically ranging from 20 minutes to an hour per session. Based on the price of $9.99 currently, and clocking in at least two sessions to fully play the game, this runtime is fair among the PC horror games in the indie genre.

Due to its design, Ten Bells also has high replayability.

She is not happy in this pub.

The random nature of the anomalies ensures that no two playthroughs are the same, providing fresh challenges and experiences each time​. Plus, some anomalies add to the overall story, giving you incentive to play again to spot all anomalies.

Closing Thoughts

This stare is not making want to order a drink.

Ten Bells stands out in the horror genre with its unique setting and engaging gameplay mechanics. The game’s focus on anomalies and a non-linear narrative structure provides a fresh twist on traditional horror games, making it a compelling choice for fans of the genre.

With its strong audio-visual execution and intriguing gameplay, Ten Bells promises to be a memorable addition to the indie horror scene​.

Overall, the game is a thrilling indie horror within PC horror games that skillfully combines psychological elements with classic horror to create an immersive and haunting experience.

Its innovative approach to gameplay and storytelling is likely to captivate horror enthusiasts and gamers looking for a challenge or a fun experience. If you want more challenging games, then check out my post on another recent release here.

So, what did you think of Ten Bells? Which anomalies were your favorite or most effective for the story? Share your thoughts and comments below!

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