At the end of Monday’s class, Prof. Sample said that Andy Campbell’s “The Flat” would provide a jump scare. It’s safe to say that the only jumping I did while playing “The Flat” was jumping out of my seat to get some water before writing this post. Even though I wasn’t scared, it’s safe to say I was confused by the whole thing, and in the end, I definitely had some questions. Why did I keep seeing a face every time I clicked and saw static? Why did I definitely see a face in the closet? Who’s house am I in, and if it’s mine, why do I still live in a haunted house, and if it’s not my house, then why am I breaking into someone’s house? Lastly, why is Andy still obsessed with The Blair Witch Project 7 years after it’s release? All jokes aside, when you start the game, you start at the bottom of a staircase with words appearing in the air. You have the choice to go up the stairs or wait until that mysterious clock hits zero. If you’re adventurous and walk up the 14 steps, you’ll be able to go into two rooms and a bathroom. Each has different things, but you can explore them and get more confused. Personally, my favorite place is the bedroom, since it has more of a sense of mystery than the living room. Once you finish exploring and run out of time, you are dragged to look outside a window, and you see a shadow move past it. You may think it’s a raccoon, a dog, a cat, or even a person, so the sense of adventure tells you to investigate by opening the door. Then you see the cloaked figure on your lawn, and the story ends.
If Sigmund Freud were alive, he’d probably be so happy to see a game that utilizes his thoughts on the “uncanny,” which he talks about in his paper “The Uncanny.” “The Flat” has a sense of something that is seen in day to day life, an everyday apartment and adding a touch of spooky vibes to it. When we combine these two aspects, it looks like the idea of “uncanny” is what the “The Flat” is trying to maintain.