Fran Bow Review

I got Fran Bow as part of a Humble Bundle, and I did not expect it to be one of the best horror games I have ever had the pleasure to play. The whole game manages to bring across an atmosphere very reminiscent of some of Clive Barker's latter works.

Fran Bow is set in the 1930s, and it is the story of a ten-year old girl who witnesses her parents getting brutally murdered by a monster. She is locked in an asylum. As part of her treatment, she gets a drug called duoetine, which allows her to see a creepy view of the world.

The game has a very strong and well-executed atmosphere. It manages to create a feeling of dread and horror, with just enough whimzy in it to prevent it from feeling too oppressive. There were times that I felt hesitant to use the Duoetine for fear of what I might see.

The atmosphere is reinforced very well by the art style, which comes across as a creepy version of a children's book. The drawings manage to be both beautiful and disturbing.

The main character, Fran is interesting, in that she accepts most of what is happening to her, regardless of how bizarre or disturbing. She embodies a very childish innocence, without being annoying, which is a huge risk when having a child as a protagonist.

Being a point and click game, Fran Bow is filled with puzzles. Most of them fit well into the story, and add to the experience. None of them are particularly difficult or obscure.

The occasional change of pace comes in the shape of different mini games, for example where Fran needs to make her way through a maze, while avoiding the monsters. The minigames are generally easy, and well designed. They are also completely skippable if you do not feel like actually doing them. I am still not sure if they really add anything to the game, and I consider them the weakest aspect of it.