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[Review] ‘Sagebrush’ Takes a Haunting Look at the Aftermath of a Religious Cult

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sagebrush review pc

Cults, real or fictionalized, can make for a fascinating storytelling device. There’s the usually enigmatic leader, so assured of their special set of beliefs. Are they steely-focused on achieving a spiritual goal? Or is there a more sinister end product to their new religion? Then there are the personal tales of those who choose to follow. Are they just poor souls who lacked guidance and now have something meaningful? Or are they foolishly walking themselves straight into a slaughterhouse? Redact Games’ Sagebrush poses such questions and brings some intriguing answers.

While most video games involving cults tend to put you right in the mix and usually has you fight them (Far Cry 5, Resident Evil 4 etc) at the height of their powers, Sagebrush takes place in a cult compound after the demise of its flock. It’s a ghost story of sorts, if not in the traditional sense, and offers an interesting take on the cult of…well, cults.

You’re investigating the Black Sage Ranch, former home of the Perfect Heaven Millenial cult. Your job is to search this New Mexico desert ranch for clues about the lives of those in the cult before they took their lives in a mass-suicide years before.

This is a short narrative-driven adventure. There are some spoken parts where a follower recollects their memories of the people at the compound via tape recordings, but generally, Sagebrush is about reading the rooms and the notes, timetables, and reminders dotted about the compound. It’s not building to some great reveal or crazy twist, it’s just telling the diverse stories of why people chose to join a cult and ultimately sacrifice their lives for the cause.

You get to roam the entire compound as you investigate. You need to find keys and relevant information to access certain parts of it though, and that flows naturally through your discoveries for the most part. There is a map if you get lost, but on occasion, you’re likely to get lost trying to figure something out. The pace is fairly serene despite being a sub-2 hour game, but an obstacle to progress can make Sagebrush feel like a slog. Thankfully it’s a rare occurrence.

Sagebrush is presented in a low-fi, low-resolution, low-poly manner that is married to some modern conveniences. The low-fi visuals certainly don’t prevent Sagebrush from creating an effective atmosphere. It’s used in such a way that it perfectly replicates the hazy open quiet of an abandoned desert ranch. There’s just the right amount of detail to convey what the game wants you to see and it’s truly a credit to the developer’s vision that they got this balance right. The package is wrapped up nicely by the inclusion of a haunting ambient soundtrack that lilts away in the background, and good use of sound effects, be it creaking floorboards, squeaky doors, or the ambiance of the New Mexico wilds.

So Sagebrush certainly looks and sounds the part, but that’s only a relatively small part. Sagebrush is about storytelling first and foremost and it needs to succeed at that more than anything. Largely, Sagebrush does indeed spin a fascinating yarn. It’s mostly via the audio recordings that you get the meat of it, as the ranch itself is a tad sparse in terms of opportunities to help tell the story via the scenery, at least for the first half of the game anyway. Locations, while well realized, hold a loose connection with the letters and audio you pore over. They rarely feel like they give you enough visual insight beyond their emptiness.

Luckily the story told via words and sound is interesting and informative enough to make up for it. These tales of cult members and the reasons behind their choice to join Perfect Heaven are not all infatuation and brainwashing. People have a variety of reasons for joining, often they’re searching for meaning in their lives after a major setback, some are just disillusioned with religion and Perfect Heaven’s whole schtick of unpacking the lies of regular religion makes it an appealing alternative.

Not everyone is entirely happy or committed to the cause though. Throughout the game, you come across instances of rebellion and doubt, which is made all the more tragic when you consider these people still ultimately died for the cult despite this.

Sagebrush aims to look at the humanity behind the subject matter, and while it doesn’t always work as well as it could, it does reach dark and revelatory heights from an unexpected angle. Its slow pace should be its greatest strength, but there needed to be a touch more environmental storytelling to make the most of the wandering you do.

Review code provided by the publisher

Sagebrush is available on Steam now

Books

‘In Search of Darkness’ Book Review: A Must-Have for ’80s Horror Fans

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In 2019, the documentary of 80s horror In Search of Darkness became an instant hit with horror fans. Now, a beautiful coffee table style companion book is available and is a must-own for all fans of one of horror’s greatest eras. The book is a walk down the horror aisle of the best mom and pop video store in the heyday of VHS, featuring full color photos, poster art, insightful essays and more. More than just a nostalgic throwback, In Search of Darkness is the kind of book I wish I’d had back in my years as a burgeoning horror fan but is also satisfying for the film fanatic I have become in the years since.

The format is beautifully and simply laid out, with at least a dozen (usually more) movies from each year of the decade presented in order of release accompanied by informative and insightful essays by the authors Heather Wixson and Patrick Bromley. Both authors have been mainstays of film journalism, specializing in horror, for many years. Wixson began her career in 2007 with Dread Central and has spent the past ten years as the Managing Editor of Daily Dead, from which she recently retired to focus on books and other projects. She has devoted the past several years to interviewing and writing books about the Make-up and Special Effects wizards that have brought so much to film over the years, specifically the horror genre.

Bromley is a film journalist and critic whose work can be found all over the place including right here on Bloody Disgusting. He recently provided the commentary for the Vinegar Syndrome release of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and is known as something of a Tobe Hooper expert. He is also the founder and editor of F this Movie!, an eclectic film website, and host of its accompanying podcast. So, to be clear, the authors know their stuff.

Wixson and Bromley divide writing duties roughly in half and though each has a distinctive voice, their writing styles dovetail beautifully into a cohesive whole. Each author plays to their strengths. Being familiar with both their work I didn’t even have to look at the bylines to know that Heather covered Christine and Terror in the Aisles and Patrick took on The Funhouse and Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers. Wixson’s passion for make-up effects is clear and comes through in many of her contributions. In general, Wixson takes on the “big” titles, the movies that defined the decade the most, and Bromley covers what the more cynical among us might call schlock, but he would likely call pure cinematic bliss. There are exceptions and surprises, of course, as there should be (Patrick covers The Shining for example). Each essay dives into the history behind the film, the major players involved, the reception, and legacy with often surprising aspects drawn from interviews with the filmmakers from various sources and insights from the authors.

For all their in-depth explorations of each film, in general the authors keep their critics’ hats safely stowed, keeping in mind that every entry on the book has its fans. In fact, they may well have sold me on finally hitting play on some of the schlockier offerings of the decade like Evilspeak, Nightbeast, and Blood Diner. Hell, I may even give The Beast Within a spin for shits and giggles. The point is that this book is a celebration through and through. The authors are honest about the critical receptions of the films, which were often unkind, and sometimes let their own opinions shine through, but recognize how beloved even the schlockiest films can become given time and availability. And that is an ongoing theme of In Search of Darkness. What may have been dismissed in its day often becomes revered as the years pass. Variations on the phrase “the years have been kind to…” referring to various maligned projects like The Thing, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, The Blob and many, many others, can be found throughout the book for good reason.

Each chapter of the book also includes a rundown of the top horror movies at the box office for the year as well as the top movies of all genres for context. The final page for each year highlights some of the major news and pop culture events including the top songs, albums, and television shows. There is a large central section that pays tribute to the talent involved with the greatest horror films of the 80s including directors, actors, effects artists, and more. This section includes brief biographies of John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Stephen King, Tom Savini, Barbara Crampton, Robert Englund, and many others presented in a dynamic and engaging fashion.

One of the beauties of the book is that it covers so much ground. Sure, you’ll find Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser, and the Halloween sequels in it, but you’ll also find deeper cuts like The Changeling, The Being, and Tetsuo: The Iron Man. I was happy to find the same love given to Frank Henenlotter and Larry Cohen as to George A. Romero and David Cronenberg. In other words, In Search of Darkness is extraordinarily eclectic, highlighting the diversity that truly defined what is often viewed as a homogenous decade. The authors make the case that the 80s was horror’s greatest decade, and with what they lay out throughout this book, it’s tough to argue against that. I even came across a film or two I hadn’t even heard of before, which has become increasingly rare as the years go by.

At just shy of $85, the cover price may give some horror hounds pause, but believe me, it’s worth every penny. This is a beautiful volume that every fan of 80s horror will want on their shelf or prominently displayed on their coffee table. Filled with favorite titles, hundreds of full color photos, insightful and informative writing, this is simply a must own.

You can order your copy now.

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