Agni: Village Of Calamity is a terrifying, intimate Indonesian Resident Evil
With some especially freaky meat monsters
Horror is escaping a melted flesh abomination, but to pull off true terror, you need to have a gleefully murderous human get right up in my face and grin about whatever nasty human stuff they're planning to get up to. Enter Agni: Village Of Calamity, an Indonesian survival horror that looks interesting for its early Resident Evil influences, but has gotten stuck in my head for specifically evoking Resident Evil 7's intimate human threat. Here's a trailer.
It's that claustrophobic camera work that's drawn me in. I have to admit I've become so spoiled by indie survival horror of late that I've grown slightly numb to the sort of things that used to excite me. Fixed camera angles. Limited inventory space. I blame Signalis for being so excellent. But Agni feels deliberate, rather than overly reverent to its influences.
Agni is your character. She's an Indonesian cop who's gone rogue to explore a remote village. Not a remote village, Agni! That's where the bad things happen. I'm especially fond of how the setting allows for more lush and distinct greenery than you might expect from this genre. Not enough vibrant fronds in survival horror, as a rule.
"Throughout the journey, Agni grapples with guilt, fear of abandonment, and unresolved trauma from her past," says Steam, leaning into Silent Hill-isms. "Her perilous journey tests her resolve as she confronts her inner demons while striving to find out what happened and find her missing partner".
There's a 13 minute gameplay video available besides the trailer. Agni explores an abandoned house with her trusty lighter, strolls past some mannequins (pointing out the tired trope herself, which doesn't absolve you, game), and eventually has to run as they come to life. Again, it's the focus on Agni's own reactions during cinematics that I feel is the strongest part here, lending everything an off-kilter indie cinema slant I'm very drawn to.
Things get progressively strange, but I'll leave that for you to discover on your own. No release date on this one just yet.