Reunition is a 2D pixel-based horror game created for the Asylum Game Jam 2015 by Rage Monster Games. It sees you playing as a father searching for his lost son in a house of mirrors.
Reunition‘s gameplay is largely made up of one button press (outside of moving left and right) that actually turns your lamp off, plunging you into darkness. At first, you’ll stumble through the house wondering what it’s for, and why you’d ever want to turn the light off, especially in such a creepy setting. The house itself isn’t safe either, with over hanging chandeliers falling suddenly and mirrors smashing as you walk by. These are obstacles you’ll have to avoid of course, and there’s some trial and error required to learn the positions of each if you’re planning on making a successful run.
As you continue looking for your son, led by flashes of him appearing in mirrors, you’ll be met suddenly and randomly by the ghost of a woman screaming and charging at you. She’s fast, and she’ll make you jump. It’s only after you’ve died a few times and the game tells you mysteriously that you’ll ‘find light in the darkness and darkness in the light’ that you realise there’s anything you can do about it. Basically, turn that lamp off – and hit the button quick if you see her.
It’s no easy task transferring horror into pixellated 2D, so it’s interesting in the way that Reunition opts to use it’s jump scares as a means for providing some light twitch-based gameplay. It’s simple, punishing, but effective, keeping you tense in the way a horror game should, but providing gameplay more akin to a stripped-down Super Meat Boy than Soma.
Download or Play Reunition Here (Windows & Browser)