If I were allowed shed all semblance of professionalism to write what I really thought, my review for this game would just consist of "nope nope nope nope nope nope nope" and some choice bits of shrill, panicky, improvised profanity. I've just been playing the nightmare adventure game Slender, by Parsec Productions, who apparently hate sleep so much they decided to make sure nobody can ever close their eyes again. Based on an internet-birthed urban legend (we hope), Slender stars you as a faceless, foolish explorer armed only with a flashlight, lost in the woods at night, searching for eight missing pages. Use the [WASD] keys to move, the mouse to look around, and hold [left shift] to sprint. Just click to pick up any pages you find, and right-click if you think turning off the flashlight will help you somehow. You might be lulled into a sense of security by the quiet evening and the familiar sounds of nature. The more pages you gather, however, the more it becomes apparent that you aren't alone. If you do happen to make contact, look away as quickly as you can, but you may only be delaying the inevitable. It sees you. It wants you. It will reach you wherever you hide. I hate you, Parsec Productions.
Slender is an exceptionally simple game, but it wields its atmosphere and pacing with such formidable intensity that even those unfamiliar with the original story will be creeped out. As of this writing, Slender is in beta, and to be frank, it sort of shows, since the model for the titular being isn't particularly scary if you really stop to look at it (though this is planned to change), and the gameplay is fairly bare even if the pages do appear in random locations each time. Its slow pace combined with the disorienting landscape and how hard on your eyes it can be also means it won't be for everyone. Played with the lights off and headphones on, however, and Slender's use of increasing tension and the sense of lost vulnerability it manages to create makes it far and away scarier than many big budget titles out there. If you like slow, creeping, unexplained horror, then this one's for you, and you're welcome to join me in my protective pony pillow fort after.
Windows:
Download the free full version
Mac OS X:
Download the free full version
Walkthrough Guide
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Slender Strategy Guide
Map
Click here for a map of the locations.
Basic Tips
A key strategy is to know how to get to each location quickly. No matter how well you play, if you get lost, you won't complete the game.
Once you know the map, plan a route between the landmarks, and practice following it as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Your torch has a battery life of around 20 minutes. It's unlikely that you'll finish the game if you take this long.
How fast Slenderman moves towards you is determined by how many notes you've collected. Taking too long will increase the difficulty, and his speed, no matter what.
Jogging slowly drains your stamina, which replenishes gradually after a pause of one second.
You can sprint for a short time after getting scared by Slenderman. This drains stamina faster, but helps you get away faster.
Survival
Looking directly at Slenderman for too long allows him to get you. Get a solid object between you and him and back away.
If you see static, Slenderman is somewhere close! Stronger static means you're looking more directly at him, or are closer to him.
Don't visit the bathroom maze except as either the first thing you do, or the very last. The dead-ends and abrupt corners mean you're unlikely to get out again if Slendy is behind you.
Keep your flashlight switched off for as much of the time as possible. Once you know where you're headed, switch it off and walk in the dark. Slendy finds you faster while your light is on.
Avoid jogging too much at the start of the game - save your stamina for when you need to run. It does regenerate, but slowly.
Slenderman teleports around the map, but can only jump to locations you aren't directly looking at. This includes behind trees ahead of you, though.
Some players will line Slenderman up with a tree, so that he's directly behind the tree as you face it. You can then walk backwards away from the tree to put some distance between you. This trick isn't essential to win earlier versions of the game, but becomes more useful in the newer builds.
Never walk backwards unless you're using the tree tactic mentioned above and know where Slender is. Any other time, you're likely just to walk into him.
Once you have Slender in your sights - at a safe distance - you can stand still to regain stamina. Ideally, keep a solid object between you and him, but keep checking he's still there as you don't want him teleporting behind you suddenly!
Note Locations
Notes can only spawn on landmarks. They will never spawn on random trees. There are 10 possible locations, and 8 notes to find, so two locations will be empty on any playthrough. Locations are:
On the house by the red truck.
On the blue truck.
In the tunnel.
On the red tower.
Inside the bathrooms .
On the wall shaped like a +.
On the big tree in the middle of the path.
On one of the oil tanks.
On the 6 tall wooden pillars.
On one of the big group of rocks.
Your initial goal should be to learn where each landmark is relative to the others, enabling you to plan a route straight through them all.
Hidden Modes
Day Mode: Play the game again, but in daylight. The map is a lot less creepy, but you'll probably still jump. There's no need for a flashlight.
$20 Mode: Slenderman will sing to you when you look at him.
These modes don't change gameplay in any other way.
Posted by: Ben
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August 19, 2012 6:39 PM