Video Game Mini-Review: Plastomorphosis

Developer: VidyGames

Publisher: Samustai

Genre: Horror

Reviewed For: Nintendo Switch

Also Available On PlayStation, Xbox, PC

Plastomorphosis aspires to live in the 90s survival horror era with its fixed-camera angles and tank controls. With nostalgia-inducing gameplay and a haunting atmosphere, Plastomorphosis combines old-school mechanics with an eerie, dystopian setting, but fails to capture the magic that retro survival horror fans are surely looking for. 

Plastomorphosis begins with the player on an evacuation train heading to Modern City, where they discover a phone left behind by a woman named Eva. Her cryptic messages serve as clues for navigating the eerie and desolate city, warning of dangerous water, hostile enemies, and QR codes guiding your journey. As they play, players will uncover more about what happened to Modern City and how they got into this post-apocalyptic setting. 

The gameplay in Plastomorphosis harkens back to the classic survival horror mechanics of the 90s, featuring tank controls and fixed-camera angles. The tank setup can make movement frustrating for today’s players, especially with the game’s occasionally awkward camera angles. The fixed camera should be effective, but Plastomorphosis just doesn’t nail it like Resident Evil does. Exploration is key, with players hunting for weapons and key items to progress. The puzzle-solving element keeps things interesting too. They aren’t entirely original, but they work well and nothing feels unfair here. 

Plastomorphosis owns the retro survival horror vibes with its early PlayStation-era aesthetic. The game’s pixelated graphics, VHS-style overlay, and CRT-like static all contribute to a feeling of nostalgia. While the spooky ambiance is on point, the character animations—particularly the running are awkward and frankly look bad. The sound design helps build tension with spooky noises and unsettling music.

Plastomorphosis is fine, but it fails to do anything special. It’s not especially scary, and there aren’t any new elements here worth speaking of. Still, it’s a cheap game that can give some nice thrills this October as long as you don’t expect it to reinvent the wheel.