If there’s anything I can’t resist, it’s viral outbreak horror, so I was excited to sit down and play Vaccine, the latest survival horror game from Rainy Night Creations (RNC). After choosing between a male or female character, you discover the person you did not choose has been infected, and it is your job to save them by finding the vaccine…in thirty minutes! Not the most inventive premise for a game, but I will play anything having to do with viruses, zombies, and the end of the world, so I didn’t mind.
To be honest, the first few hours of gameplay are the worst. The developers clearly wanted Vaccine to emulate popular ‘90s horror games like Resident Evil so much that they followed that script too closely and included frustrating gameplay elements that are better left in the past.
In my opinion, the single most aggravating part of Vaccine are the controls, especially given the fact that you are timed. I found myself wasting precious seconds getting stuck in doorways and turning corners. This not only made me want to quit, but it broke the immersion that is a critical element of any horror game. That said, if you persevere, Vaccine has some worthwhile elements.
First, unlike RNC’s muse, Vaccine’s explorable house is randomly generated. Each time you die or begin a new playthrough, the layout and item locations will be completely different. This gives Vaccine a lot of replay value, especially when you start pouring time into leveling up your character, but it can contribute to the aggravation when you die, stuck in a doorway because of the controls, and have to start completely over in a brand new maze. Still, there’s more to Vaccine than simply finding the cure to a virus. In order to truly make progress, you must also solve the mysteries of the house itself, so don’t let the thirty minute timer fool you: this game will take hours to complete.
Finally, I’d argue Vaccine isn’t really a horror game. It’s a virus-themed puzzle game. For me, absolutely nothing about this game was frightening or heart pounding other than the hypertension-inducing controls. I feel like RNC made a great puzzle game, but the tension brought by timed puzzle solving doesn’t make it a horror game. Games like Resident Evil had their fair share of puzzles but the combat reinforced the tension. Vaccine overloads players with puzzles and doesn’t offer that balance such experiences need. I think that’s the biggest issue with the title. So, if you like retro-style games, don’t mind ‘90s control schemes, and want to sink a few hours into solving puzzles, Vaccine is for you. If you’re looking for an immersive horror game, however, I’d recommend you pass on this one.
Summary
Obviously a significant problem from the start is improving the controls. The constantly-changing camera angle and sluggish movement would make it difficult for many gamers, regardless of disability. It’d be great to have more auditory cues in the soundtrack as well, to improve accessibility for gamers with vision loss. Although it might detract from the aim of creating a tense environment—which I’d argue isn’t present anyway—a map of the house that fills in as you explore would make the game instantly much more accessible.
Jess contributed 16 articles to ICXM in 2017, covering game reviews, and Xbox news with a focus on hands-on impressions and verified-source reporting. Their bylines on the site span the Xbox One X launch year and Microsoft’s wider Play Anywhere / UWP gaming initiative. They post on X as @Enceladosaurus.