Ib

A freeware horror made with RPG Maker 2000.

You play as Ib; a nine-year-old quiet mute girl that visits her first art gallery with her parents with an exhibition available by the great artist, Guertena. As you explore the building and it’s objects, people eventually disappear, and you are left alone in the dark.

Soon after, the strange surreal journey begins. Ib is well known and has a large fan community, but I’m late to this party. The gameplay is mainly about solving abstract puzzles, which involve memorization, math and combining objects that need each other.

Ib is accompanied by Garry and Mary, who seem to be trapped in this nightmare as well. It’s a short playthrough of about 2 hours, but the main reason for playing is the horror itself. There are creative jump scares such as an illusion effect involving a guillotine, and there are also chasing enemies, of which the most noteworthy one are the ladies dressed in various colors.

Strange optical effects such as a fisherman reeling in and giving away an umbrella are a nice touch, and the soundtrack is present too. With several kinds of endings being available depending on which dialogue options you choose, as well as bonus areas.

The scariest scene is probably the timed event when Garry must swiftly find a randomized key to escape, before a demonic monster inside a painting gets to him. A rose acting as the HP meter is not only symbolic, but something different too. Ib has an identity of it's own, it is a well done short horror worthy of playing through.

Rating: 6.9