Perception is a first-person horror game where the player takes control of a young blind woman named Cassie, voiced by Angela Morris, as she navigates Echo Bluff, an abandoned manor that Cassie has had multiple dreams about, via echolocation. There she encounters the mysterious, yet terrifying creature known as “The Presence” which is anything but friendly.
The Deep End Games is a small company, consisting of around twelve people or so. However, this development team has worked on well-renowned games like Bioshock, Bioshock Infinite and Dead Space. They may be small, but they have some amazing people on the team as well as an unusual idea that incorporates the player in a novel and unique manner.
Gardner was a delight to speak with and clearly was really excited to discuss Perception in further detail.
Characters, Story and Setting
Dalton White (DW): So, tell me more about the protagonist, Cassie. Is she one of those ‘random clueless teenagers’ you often see in horror games and films?
Echo Bluff is the mysterious ancient mansion that has haunted Cassie’s dreams and is the setting for the game. Gardner revealed that the house was located in Gloucester, Massachusetts. When asked why he chose Gloucester specifically Gardner stated:
After getting some information about the setting of the game, I asked about the cast of characters in Perception. Some horror games, such as Slender just have the player and the mysterious evil creature. Others like Resident Evil and Silent Hill have a larger cast. Gardner confirmed that Cassie’s boyfriend will be attempting to contact her via her smartphone, and will pop in and out of contact with her as he is traveling to the house himself.
Clearly, Gardner and his wife Amanda, who is the head writer for Perception, have spent a long time on developing the story of Perception; however, he remained tight-lipped on what Cassie will experience as an unwilling guest at Echo Bluff.
Gameplay and the Player Experience
Even if he wouldn’t tell us what Cassie would encounter, Gardner was more than pleased to discuss how she (and the player) are able to move and interact with things while in Echo Bluff.
Echolocation: How Cassie “Sees” the World.
DW: Very commendable and practical. Will Cassie be able to use her other senses to navigate, or is it solely by hearing?
DW: I see. All right then, so besides this new style of sight via echolocation, is there anything else that contributes to Perception’s unique gameplay?
With something like this hunting you down, you have to be careful.
DW: So in the last interview you had with GameSkinny, you said that all Cassie is armed with is a smartphone and her cane. Clearly her cane is extremely important, allowing her to use her echolocation, but what about her phone?
DW: Wait, if that is the case, couldn’t she just use that app to call someone for help?
Clearly Gardner had looked at all the angles in order to give Perception the true isolated feel of a horror game. He was also rather vocal about the various modes that a player can select for a different experience. Many of these modes were also inspired by or streamlined thanks to feedback from fans. One mode, known as “Silent Night”, cuts a large amount of Cassie’s lines, making her more of a silent protagonist.
Another way the game can be played is in “Mode 7” or, as Gardner called it, “Retro Mode”. This setting styles the house and the game itself in a SNES pixelated 3D art-style for those who love some of the classic 16-bit visuals. Gardner stated that he was really thrilled with the inclusion of these modes as they “allowed players to find an experience that resonates with the gamer, and produced multiple ways replay the game.” Gardner expanded on that idea of accessibility, stating:
Technical Questions and What Lies Ahead
DW: Clearly you are pro-fan feedback and care about what your fans and patrons think. So, then lets ask some of the hard-hitting questions that the backers for Perception really want to hear. Any idea what this game is going to be rated? Also I saw that the release date on the Perception Kickstarter page was slotted for June 2016, can you possibly give us an even smaller release window?
DW: Glad to hear. I have to ask, what made you decide to use Kickstarter for funding your project?
A house looking like that. Right, totally not haunted.
DW: Moving right along, you guys have already surpassed your pledge to have the game completely funded and you still have a few hours left for funding. If you get enough support and funds do you plan to release DLC or an expansion?
From there Gardner explained that his team plans to continue taking pledges in order to fund additional content, and mentioned that he really hopes they could bring Perception to consoles, if they get the funding. Gardner also said that he and Amanda have been coming up with some ideas for possible future games, but currently their priority is with Perception.
DW: Last question: Do you have any words for those who are on the fence about supporting or buying Perception?
Now that it has been funded and given the green light, Perception seems like something to look forward for fans of indie and horror games alike. How do you feel about Perception? Leave a comment or visit The Deep End Games’s website or follow them on Twitter @TheDeepEndGames.
