Daymare 1994: Sandcastle Review | TheXboxHub

Daymare 1994: Sandcastle Review | TheXboxHub

Time Stamp: September 16, 2023 2:11 PM

In 2020 there was a game that released to some middling reviews. But it was a game that managed to gain a loyal fan base nonetheless. That game was Daymare: 1998. 

Originally put together as a possible fan remake of Resident Evil 2 (before the actual one) it then turned into a game that was inspired by the mechanics of those older, earlier PlayStation action adventures. Daymare: 1998 was a bit of a hit with some, but a miss with others. Mixed in was some great stuff though. In fact, there was enough stuff to spawn a sequel/prequel – Daymare 1994: Sandcastle. 

Can Daymare 1994: Sandcastle improve on the original and take us on a new adventure? Well, yes, I think it can… 

daymare 1994 sandcastle review 1daymare 1994 sandcastle review 1
A scary adventure plays out in Daymare 1994: Sandcastle

Daymare 1994: Sandcastle is set four years before the events of the first game. You play as Dalila Reyes who works as a tech specialist for a group called H.A.D.E.S.. There has been some trouble at Area 51 (of course there has), and so the group has been sent in because communication has been lost. What happens next is a journey through the hallowed site as you happen upon all sorts of strange horrors and mysteries to solve.

In terms of storytelling, Daymare 1994: Sandcastle doesn’t really do anything original, but it plays a good tune from an old song. The visual storytelling side of things, as well as the setup, are pretty enjoyable throughout and there are some nice ideas and bits of lore found in docs and emails. The dialogue and characters get to feel a bit hackneyed though, occasionally coming across as B-movie action stars. But strangely I was up for that and quite enjoyed their barbs and one-liners. I liked the main character, Dalila, but this isn’t something like The Last of Us; the developers are aware of what they are trying to do. 

Daymare 1994: Sandcastle is played in the third-person, working an over the shoulder view point. For a while, you are exploring the world of Area 51 in quite a linear manner. You have some simple puzzles to explore and locks to open while finding codes and messages found in lockers. I liked this aspect of the game the most and it must certainly feels like a definite improvement from the last game, where the action seems more focused.

daymare 1994 sandcastle review 2daymare 1994 sandcastle review 2
Puzzles, good. Combat, not so much.

Soon you’re getting weapons, like a machine gun and a shotgun. It’s then when you know that trouble is ahead. Dead bodies are strewn around, reanimated by strange balls of energy, turning into quick-paced zombies who will try to kill you. They run at you – fast – and you have to take them down and then destroy the ball of energy to stop them going to another corpse. If they get near you a strange quick time event happens. You’ll get your health taken away if you are not quick enough. This is fine for the first couple of times but after a while it gets monotonous. Neatly is the introduction of a freeze ability weapon you get later, which, as you’d expect, helps freeze enemies and destroy them. It’s my least favourite part of Daymare 1994: Sandcastle and I dreaded the combat rather than to relish the encounters.

One of the biggest improvements from the original game is found in the visuals. Daymare 1994: Sandcastle’s lighting is a very good example of the step-up. Each location should be seen as a place of dread, intrigue, and mystery. I think the character animations are good too, as are the creatures that you encounter along the way. 

In terms of audio and the soundtrack has a great blend of action music throughout the combat scenes, combined with some good old-fashioned creepy tension for the exploration bits. The actors do a good enough job too, but the 90’s cheese-vibe and script don’t help matters. 

daymare 1994 sandcastle review 3daymare 1994 sandcastle review 3
This can look great

I didn’t have very high expectations for the experience found in Daymare 1994: Sandcastle. But the game is more than capable of pleasantly surprising, especially with its more linear, tight exploration and improved visuals. There are problems with the dialogue, which feels a bit dated, and the combat system gets a bit bland after the umpteenth fight. But you’ll mostly have a good time with Daymare 1994: Sandcastle; in fact, there is a lot to like in this prequel. 

It’ll certainly be interesting to see what is done next with the franchise.

Time Stamp:

More from The Xbox Hub