Narin: The Orange Room Review

The joys of a fun little mystery to keep life interesting, it's almost as if life is filled with endless mysteries and puzzles that are just waiting to be solved. The same can be said of RedSensation Games, a somewhat obscure Bangkok-based developer set on changing the horror genre in gaming.

Now, a good mystery is always great, but maybe a little breadcrumb trail would help since there isn't exactly any concrete information on this studio...Based on available information, they may have been around since 2018, but it's also entirely possible the studio is officially only two years old.

In the same thought, it's possible that they also had a hand in several games, but also… Only one, their latest release, Narin: The Orange Room, was released on April 7. Mysteries are everywhere, but let's take a closer look at RedSensation Games' creation, which seems set on combining atmospheric horror with anime levels of cuteness. 

This strange story will have you taking on the role of Narin, a relatively young girl who's still in school.

However, her seemingly ordinary life gets turned around when she falls asleep at school, and she's transported to the Twilight Dimension. Things only go downhill for Narin from here as she faces off against the ghosts of the Twilight Dimension while trying to make sure she escapes in time; at the same time, she's also trying to solve the mystery of her missing sister. 

Narin: The Orange Room seems to draw inspiration from several games; a little sprinkle of Persona 5 Royal, some Silent Hill, and even a few interesting tropes from several smaller horror releases. It's almost like a really well-written love letter to the horror genre while actually being serious, which in itself is a rarity.

Luckily, even though Narin: The Orange Room is technically horror-based, it's also incredibly approachable and easy to pick up. Hitting the ground barely running (more on this soon), you already know that Narin gets transported to the Twilight Dimension, but things only get weirder from here. It turns out her sister, who went missing, might also be in that same dimension.

You end up meeting a black cat who helps you in the hopes of escaping, and several other children who are either trapped there or go there willingly. You could say that Narin: The Orange Room is like an onion with how many layers it has, just waiting to be unwrapped. 

Now, what sets Narin: The Orange Room apart from other games in the horror genre is that it takes a more casual approach to gameplay. For the most part, the story is somewhat linear in the sense that you won't always be revisiting old locations. You'll be actively encouraged to keep pushing forward to unfold the mysteries of the Twilight Dimension.

Granted, you'll need a few tools to do it, or you'll literally be left feeling around in the dark. The first tool you get is an odd lantern; it's not just a light source, it's also a bizarre key of sorts that you'll need to burn away one of the bigger obstacles that can stand in your way: roots and sometimes smoke.

As you may have guessed, the Twilight Dimension will try to halt your progress whenever possible by blocking routes or sending some of the more hostile inhabitants after you.

Sadly, fighting off ghosts isn't on the menu in Narin: The Orange Room. Your best bet is to run, hide, and move around them. 

This is all good and fine, but it'll likely become very boring after a while. This brings us to the next major aspect of Narin: The Orange Room. A few puzzles and some out-of-the-box thinking are par for the course, but it's how these puzzles form part of the story that stands out the most.

Everything forms part of an ever-building story; every random note and even some of the horror tropes give you a little bit more insight into the school and its Twilight Dimension copy. This also includes the various people you'll meet and their respective stories, or deaths.

All this aside, Narin: The Orange Room does have one strange issue, though it might be intentional. Fan service sells, especially if the main character is cute… But was it really necessary to lean into the stereotypical "anime girl" run for a character who's very clearly a little girl? It's not even a matter of the obvious way she runs; it's also the speed that makes it feel like you're trying to sprint through tar when you're being chased. 

Narin: The Orange Room seems quite well thought out and doesn't need to rely on crazy visuals to create the atmosphere; it relies more on ambiance and the story to deliver everything it needs. Granted, this is literally what makes a good horror game, but so many overlook it.

While the execution of the environments was perfect, it can still come across as a little lacking to some.

On the other side, for Narin: The Orange Room, which drives an earlier-mentioned point home. Having Narin as the only voiced character is a nice touch to keep things going, but it also makes it very clear that she's quite young. Unfortunately, the voice actor also lacks emotion, which can make Narin sound a little flat.

Overall, Narin: The Orange Room is a relatively solid indie horror and a great first release for the studio. While there are some apparent growing pains, we all start somewhere, and this is honestly an impressive first release that checks all the major boxes. Between the layers in the story and the visuals, there's never really a dull moment to be found as long as you don't overanalyze everything.