The Chant Review (PlayStation 5)

by Jim Smale · November 16, 2022

For this The Chant Review we find out how a peaceful weekend soon turns to cosmic dread after a group chant opens The Gloom, a psychedelic dimension of terror that feeds off negative energy. To survive the horrors, you must do whatever it takes to uncover the island’s weird cult history and reverse the ritual. Interact with the other members of the retreat as they slowly become consumed by their own negative energy. Survive against an array of prismatic creatures and cultists released from The Gloom as you piece together the weird history of the island.

The Chant Review Pros:

Decent graphics.
26.76GB download size.
Platinum trophy.
Survival horror gameplay.
3rd person perspective.
Controller settings – Invert axis and sensitivity sliders and vibration.
Three difficulties – Neophyte (story), Adeptus (balanced), and Magister (difficult).
In-game cutscenes.
Button prompts appear on the screen.
Can skip cutscenes.
A string movie presentation feel.
Strong opening scenes to set up the story.
Mind, body, and spirit stats change as you answer and interact with people.
When your mind empties you go into a panic attack and the screen goes all blurry and your pad vibrates.
Meditate to use your spirit and refill your mind.
Full crafting menu.
Beautiful locations.
Tutorial pop-ups as you play.
Lore adds story and also increases mind like EXP.
Full stats section.
Restart from the checkpoint or chapter option.
Items like Ginger, lavender, and mushroom caps are used to regain your senses.
Puzzle elements throughout.
Combine items to make new ones.
Prisms are worn by each member and each has unique powers and gloom zones.
Gloom zones are kind of a gateway into another player’s mind and you see and hear things from them, some good some not so much.
Reels can be found and used at the projectors as to get much-needed background info.
Read monster pages to add their details to the bestiary.
Any found lore or notes get added to your library.
A lot of jump scares throughout.
3rd person perspective.

The Chant Review Cons:

Cannot rebind controls.
No video settings for things like HDR or Ray tracing etc.
Characters do look a bit robotic in places.
Having senses exp tied to decisions then warps my answers as I go for exp over what I might want to say instead.
Despite having a few of them when a weapon ran out it wouldn’t switch to another one or let me equip it.
The voice/script is cringy in places.
Very slow pace from movement to the story unfolding.
Never sure when it saves.
The combat is horrible, the dodge button incorporates a crawl backward motion, the swinging of a weapon is mashy and unwieldy and it’s generally not nice.
Got into unwinnable situations usually combat-based.
The game asks you to go here and go there but you get very little if any direction or guidance.