[PANICORE]A horror escape game that can be played in CO-OP is now available!

“PANICORE” is a purchase-based PC game developed and published by “ZTEK Studio” that has been officially distributed on the Steam store since May 31, 2024. It is a new horror action game title that supports online cooperative play, where players aim to escape and escape from scary monsters, set inside a closed and eerie building.

Its main features include a first-person view that increases immersion, a game system that allows you to run around with players matched online in addition to solo play, and a creepy monster character that is controlled by AI and follows the player while responding to the player's footsteps and sounds.

This new horror game is definitely recommended for people who are looking for a horror game where they can have fun with friends and other players around the world and try to escape, people who like to stream their game play live on SNS such as YouTube, and people who are attracted to the worldview of being chased by enemies without any effective means of attack.

A new horror game that can be played in CO-OP

“PANICORE'', which is currently being officially distributed on the PC game portal site “Steam'' store, is a must-see new PC game that features gameplay in which the player aims to escape while dodging the pursuit of creepy monsters. It uses a “first-person view” that maximizes the immersive feeling while playing, and in addition to solo play, online co-op is also possible.

This work has a history of being distributed as an official version without going through the “early access period”, and is being developed and published by ZTEK Studio, an indie game developer based in Heidelberg, Germany. By the way, a free trial version is also available on the Steam store, so be sure to check it out.

In the game, the player descends into the world as an “urban explorer'' and aims to “escape'' while exploring a ruined map infested with eerie creatures and fending off attacks by unknown forces. This is a new game that is attracting a lot of attention, with elements of exploration within the map that have the eeriness typical of a horror game, as well as elements of “tag” where you can run away from monsters.

A total of 557 reviews have been received on Steam in the short period of time since its release, with “very positive reviews'' indicating that the game is off to a great start. In addition to solo play, the game is characterized by the ability to experience cooperative play with other users online, and is particularly popular among users who stream live while playing the game. It is also recommended for broadcasters.

Game overview

“A survival horror game that mixes permadeath, AI monsters, and cooperative play'' is the tagline for “PANICORE,'' and the AI-controlled monsters in this game have a keen sense of smell. Specifically, it has the property of approaching the player while responding to the sound of footsteps, and it also responds sensitively to the sound of the microphone and attacks.

The player's ultimate goal is to escape, and in order to do so, it is necessary to secure items inside the ruins map that will allow for a successful escape. You must explore the interior of the building using stealth elements while avoiding the attacks of monsters that will be your last chance if you encounter them, which creates a great sense of fear. Let's try to escape while staying calm.

There are “different escape routes” on the map. In a one-way game, it's easy to establish a strategy, but in this game, you have to find the optimal route within a limited amount of time and also take action to avoid enemy monsters, so you can experience extremely thrilling and tense play elements. This is a must-see title for horror game fans.

Another big appeal of the work is that you can experience the “hide-and-seek” element by hiding behind various objects inside the map. Hide under cabinets and tables to survive and fend off incoming monster attacks. Players are not given the power or weapons to fight off monsters, so how they evade danger will be the difference between life and death.

The game's rule, which requires players to obtain all the items necessary for escape while exploring, presents the player with the difficulty of escaping by simply running away, forcing the player to muster up courage and expand their range of action. It is up to the player to decide whether to show their courage and move boldly through the map, or to proceed cautiously.

Supports Japanese interface

The selling price on the Steam store is 580 yen, and you can currently purchase it for 10% off at 522 yen, which is the “release commemorative sale price”. It is a highly recommended indie game title with a very reasonable price of almost one coin, and it can be said to be a horror action game suitable for those who want to keep the initial investment as low as possible.

The game comes standard with a Japanese interface and supports subtitles (audio is only in English), so the barrier to entry is low. Please note that this game does not officially support operation with a general-purpose controller at this time, so if you are not accustomed to using a keyboard and mouse, you may experience difficulties. If you are a controller fan, please be careful about the operation.

For the same reason, compatibility with Valve's portable game console “Steam Deck” has not been announced, and this is a future issue. New games are announced on Steam almost every day, so Valve doesn't have enough time to review new games, but Steam Deck users should think about it, “Maybe they'll be able to play it.''

In addition, when challenging CO-OP in this work, you will be exposed to in-game chat using a microphone, so be careful if you do not have a headset. This is a work with interactive elements where you talk to surrounding players and the AI ​​monster picks up the conversation and approaches you, so it is essential to prepare a headset that can talk before playing.

There are a total of 15 types of Steam achievements that can be unlocked, making it recommended for PC gamers who consider themselves “achievement collectors.'' Unlock all achievements and brag to your friends while playing the game solo and online multiplayer. Although it is a game with a cheap price, it is a must-see work that has the meaning of being distributed on Steam.

System requirements

The system requirements for “PANICORE'' are medium. The graphics board presented in the recommended requirements is AMD's Radeon RX 5700 class or NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 1070 class parts, so current low-end to mid-spec gaming PCs can be said to be the sweet spot. It's a new game with a low barrier to entry in terms of requirements.

The CPU suggested in the recommended requirements is AMD's Ryzen 5 3600 class or Intel's i7-8700 class, so it can be said that the title has a well-established ground for many players to enter in terms of processors. The minimum amount of main memory installed is 8GB, and the recommended amount is 16GB. This value is also within the very common range for gaming PCs, and its lightness shines through.

The installation size is around 13GB, which is in the lightweight category for a PC game. There is currently no news that downloadable content exclusively for games will be produced or announced in the future, so it can be said that this is a title that can be downloaded with peace of mind even for people who usually have a lot of games packed into their storage and are a little tight on their time.

However, for those who are thinking of simultaneously distributing the gameplay of this game, or those who are playing the game at the native resolution of a monitor with Full HD or higher, WQHD, or 4K resolution, it is a good idea to install parts with higher performance than those presented in the recommended requirements above. Live streaming places a heavy burden on the CPU, and increasing PC monitor resolution places a heavy burden on the graphics board.

PANICORE, a new horror action game that supports online cooperative play, is set inside a closed and eerie building and aims to escape from terrifying monsters, and is currently available on the Steam Store. It's a must-see title enjoyed by players all over the world in co-op, and it's also a popular PC game with many Japanese users participating.

This is definitely a work that I can recommend to anyone who likes the elements of running around, and if you play with your PC gamer friends who are close to you on a daily basis, and it includes voice chat, you'll definitely have a lot of fun while playing. This is a new game that also has an attractive purchase price. If you are interested in the work, please visit the Steam store now and check detailed game information.

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Gameplay flow

When you launch “PANICORE”, the home screen appears first. Here you can start playing by selecting solo play or multiplayer, and you can adjust various settings from the options. Settings are often important when playing multiplayer, so first create settings suitable for your play on the settings screen.

For multiplayer settings, you can turn on/off the LAN environment, set up a private lobby, and decide on matters related to the host game. When you actually start playing, you will first see a lobby screen where the members gather, and from here you will move your characters and prepare for the game. Follow the text on the screen.

Settings related to “Voice Chat'', which can also be accessed from the lobby screen, are essential settings in order to bring out the charm of this work to its fullest. Here, you can adjust the items divided into “Microphone mode”, “Voice chat input”, “Voice chat output”, and “Increase voice recognition” in the form of sliders, so it is a good idea to make adjustments until you get it right.

In terms of audio, the various settings stored in the audio section are also very comprehensive, allowing you to adjust items such as “my voice echo,'' “master volume,'' and “SFX volume.'' This part is something you won't get a feel for unless you actually start up the game and proceed with the play, so it's best to try it out first before making a decision.

Various items are placed in a small room that also serves as a lobby, and players pick up these items before attempting the actual map. Because it's a first-person view, you can't see yourself, but you can see your fellow players around you, so you can have fun preparing.

By the way, in addition to communicating using voice chat, the playable characters controlled by each player in this work can also be animated using various emotes. You will see some behavior that is not typical of a horror game, such as friend users suddenly starting to dance, but the good vibes typical of foreign games are sure to be the most entertaining.

When all players are ready, gather at the large arrow in the lobby. Then, the screen goes black, and we finally move to the main part of the game, a closed map. By the way, in this game you can check the list of control systems on a separate screen, so learn the controls on this screen before you start playing the actual game.

The playable characters have a wide variety of motions, and you need to remember key assignments for things like tilting left and right, crouching, dashing, and switching items. By the way, on this screen, the button assignments for general-purpose controllers are also posted, but since they are not officially supported, it is better to wait for the official announcement in the future.

There are scary monsters roaming around the map where you actually progress through the game. If you're unlucky or the players don't understand the characteristics of the game, you may get sidetracked and be wiped out immediately, so be prepared to get over the game quite a few times until you get used to the set of rules and control system.

The gameplay element of exploring in the dark using only the light of a flashlight has a full horror game atmosphere, and there is also a lot of pressure to thoroughly investigate the inside of the map in order to collect items that are essential for escape. There is a good chance that a ferocious monster will suddenly appear from the darkness, so act carefully and boldly.

You can obtain items with various effects in the game, but this game does not have a “tutorial section'' that explains the flow of play and the effects and usage of items in advance, so you will need to learn it through “on-the-job training'' to some extent. This part feels a little unfriendly, but since it's an inexpensive game, I can't complain too much.

The main appeal of this work is the fear of being chased by monsters, as well as the unpredictable developments that occur along with it, and this appeal blooms during online multiplayer. This is a horror action game created with a co-op premise, and is especially recommended for those who have many friend users. Let's enjoy a scary experience together.

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Why tag-type PC games are fun

“PANICORE'' has a different nature from other game titles, where players actively hold weapons while confronting creepy monsters. In recent years, “tag” horror games have become extremely popular on the Steam store, where the playable characters have no means of attack and can only “run away” from the presence of fear.

Situations such as “having no friendly means of attack,'' “enemies being overwhelmingly strong,'' and “having no choice but to run away'' are extremely stressful for players. In “Resident Evil,'' which falls into the survival horror game genre, the main character has various attack methods, so you can enjoy the “fight and move forward'' style, but the nature of the game is 180 degrees different from that.

Especially for people who like playing horror action games that incorporate action shooting game elements, games that don't let you boast about your shooting skills are unlikely to appeal to you. So why do players all over the world like “tag-type” horror action games and play them for long periods of time?

The author's thoughts on “why tag-type PC games are interesting'' are listed below, but this is not necessarily a correct answer; it is just speculation, and there is a possibility that some readers may find it “not so''. I hope you will take this lightly as a “subjective analysis'' by the author, who has reviewed many overseas games on Steam.

A game that brings you back to your childhood

I think many people, regardless of nationality or gender, have memories of playing pretend when they were young. One of these games is the game of tag, which has been played all over the country in Japan, and it is estimated that a large number of people have experienced playing rock, paper, scissors and running around trying not to get caught while deciding who is the demon. The author also falls into this example, and often played with the neighborhood children.

What makes “tag'' so interesting is the act of “desperately'' running around to avoid being caught by the child who is playing the role of the demon, and when doing so, you can experience “heart excitement'' and “excitement'' that are a mixture of fear, exhilaration, and tension. I feel that this excitement is greatest when you are a child, when you are spiritually pure, but the level of excitement is certainly there even when you play as an adult.

I don't know why mental changes occur to such an extent when they are playing or pretending that they are not actually being chased by a pervert, but when they are being chased, they often run at full speed with the feeling that they will never be caught, and when they become a demon, they can run around with a feeling that is 180 degrees different from when they were running away. It's a strange game.

In the game world, there have been works that incorporate elements of this “tag game” type of game for a long time, and it is my opinion that players who encounter such scenes may be able to revive memories of games they have experienced in the past. In other words, I think game titles that have “elements that bring you back to your childhood'' leave a strong impression on you, and have a structure that makes it easy for people to find them “interesting.''

When the horror action game “Clock Tower'' was released in the past, it became a hot topic that the main character was not a strong person but a “powerless girl'', and when faced with creepy characters, the only option was to “run away'', but in the horror category, it has become a “standard composition'' for the main character to run away from a murderer who leaves a strong impression.

This method began with the climax of “The Shining,'' a movie based on Stephen King's novel directed by Stanley Kubrick, and was also used in zombie movies that became an unprecedented craze in the 1980s.The mechanism by which the act of “running away'' without any means of fighting appeals to human emotions is “a universal fear.''

Returning to the game industry, in the aforementioned “Resident Evil'' series work “Resident Evil Village,'' there is a scene in which the protagonist runs away from a gigantic and creepy baby to reach an elevator.In this particular sequence, the protagonist has no countermeasures, and the game system uses tag and hide-and-seek elements to try to escape.

This scene sent many game broadcasters into a panic, with many saying the scene caused them traumatic horror. If the main character had been able to attack in this scene, I think the fear would have changed somewhat, but it is an interesting phenomenon that people of all nationalities and genders often go into a state of panic when they are forced into a situation where they have no choice but to run away.

There are times when you can calmly respond to a certain situation by experiencing it many times and overcoming your fears, but basically when humans find themselves in a critical situation where they are deprived of “certain means'', they are unable to remain calm and their psychological state tends to slide into a kind of excited state. These factors must be related to why the game of tag leaves such a strong impression.

The theme of this work, “PANICORE,'' is exactly “tag,'' and the world view is to escape from brutal monsters at all costs. It's a game with a structure and system that evokes a sense of fear in many people, so you'll be able to enjoy the thrilling gameplay elements while simultaneously feeling the psychological state of wanting to see something scary.

I'm not saying that everyone who plays a horror action game will feel like they can go back to their childhood, but titles with a tag element like the ones mentioned above have the power to remind players of past experiences, regardless of their age, and I think that will lead to them thinking, “I'm addicted to this game.'' It's a genre that has a kind of trigger.

It's scary for anyone to suddenly find themselves in an unknown situation and be relentlessly pursued. It is thought that “survival instinct'' has a lot to do with this fear, but another factor that cannot be ruled out is that it brings back memories of “pretend play'' that left a strong impact on children in their childhood. This is a must-see new game that evokes emotions that have been sleeping deep in your memory.

Play content suitable for live streaming

As another consideration, I would like to pursue the aspect that horror action games with the above-mentioned “tag elements” are suitable for “live streaming”. In recent years, the number of gamers and YouTubers who are broadcasting their gameplay live is increasing worldwide, and it can be said that “PANICORE'' is a new PC game title perfect for such people.

As you know, live game streaming is “content where the broadcaster provides viewers with a live broadcast of the game being played with audio (with some exceptions),'' and the more accurate and interesting the broadcaster's comments during play, the more popular they tend to be. In the field of PC games, there are some distributors with over 1 million registered users, and it is one of the jobs that is very popular among young people.

The point that determines whether a live broadcast is successful or not is “whether the video is sharp or not,'' and there is little relationship between the number of views and the broadcaster's “game skills'' (in action shooting games, people who are good at it tend to be valued). In the horror game genre, it's more fun to watch people who are a little bad at it than people who do it perfectly.

A large percentage of the viewers who watch live game streaming are people who play the game themselves, and when a situation that would never occur in a normal gameplay scenario occurs, the amount of attention increases all at once. “Unpredictable videos'' that often feature comments such as “Why does the game end at this point'' or “Why don't you use an item here?'' are popular these days.

Talent Hidetaka Kano is also known for broadcasting a number of horror games live, but his own gaming skills are clearly at or below average level, and there are many uncertainties, such as his sometimes acting strangely in important scenes that viewers weren't expecting. On the other hand, there are many aspects that make videos appealing in and of themselves.

Videos of people who are better at gaming than you are casually playing a game are interesting in their own right, but videos like Hidetaka Kano's that make you feel nervous while watching them also have a strong impact and appeal, and the more the target game is a horror action game, the more the appeal becomes even more so. It is also characterized by a “naturalness'' that is not intended to be obvious.

When broadcasting a horror game live, there is a tendency to look for a broadcaster who honestly reacts as expected by the developer, and in the case of Hidetaka Kano, he is so serious about the game that he reacts exactly to the scary scenes, which can be predicted to be one of the reasons for his popularity across generations and generations. He's an honest person.

In order to generate this kind of reaction, it is essential to have an “original experience of fear'' that must have been cultivated before playing a horror game, and this includes the “pretend play'', “tag experience'', and “hide and seek experience'' introduced in the previous section. It's a great joy for developers and viewers to see streamers go back to their childhood and experience the horror.

Due to these circumstances, horror action games are highly popular among video streamers, and are valued as content that can capture a large audience. I'm sure the human psyche of wanting to see scary things has a lot to do with this, but watching the streamer fall into a primitive state is more interesting than simply playing a game.

“PANICORE'' is a new PC game that has the potential to increase the number of purchasers by streamers, and is a must-see title that has exactly the elements that video streamers are looking for.It has a worldview and game system that brings you back to your childhood, and satisfies the demand for content for live streaming. It is a work that is expected to increase in popularity in the future.

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