REVIEW / Abtos Covert (PC)

I can’t say that I felt very welcomed when I started my first night at a remote military outpost hidden in the middle of nowhere with nothing but trees and the unfamiliar sounds of the woods. The world of Abtos Covert was going to be my new home though, so I was ready to take on the role of a soldier, guarding my new territory and awaiting whatever lurked in the shadows. 

In Abtos Covert, a psychological, single-player horror game, quick thinking, patience, and lots of controlled breathing (at least on my end) will keep you alive and able to ward off the entities waiting to attack. The worst thing to do in this title is panic. This is very much easier said than done though, and panic can arise quickly when you start to notice that the quiet and serenity are simply a facade for the hidden, nightmarish creatures that lie waiting outside the walls. Thankfully, a brief tutorial helped me get my bearings to understand how to secure the outpost and use an array of tools to strategize before my first night on duty. Even going into the night prepared I quickly realized that Abtos Covert is full of surprises. 

With a first-person POV, this game immediately immersed me in the creepy atmosphere and I was surprised by the amount of detail packed into each room, from the knobs and buttons on the radio to the random debris lying around the exterior of the outpost. There’s a sense of abandonment that makes one feel completely alone until you start getting that uneasy feeling that something is watching you in the dark. 

Gameplay is very straightforward but the camera movements are a little choppy at times. I found myself stuck for a solid 30 seconds at one point trying to close a door and nothing is more irritating or terrifying than trying to do a simple task that shouldn’t involve any special skills. Thankfully, it was a minor issue and didn’t inhibit anything major. Abtos Covert is not all about defense. There are a lot of dynamic parts to the game with the surveillance equipment monitoring each of the rooms while also searching for clues that will help decipher the mystery of this strange outpost. 

In addition to the clues, the radio commentary you’ll receive is also incredibly important to understand how to protect the outpost and prepare to fight the enemies that approach each night. Every enemy is different and has different methods of attack that become progressively more difficult as you move from one night to the next. Even the sounds around me became an indicator of what to expect and the dangers I was about to face, so having my volume at a reasonable level was crucial to my survival. I can’t say that I wanted to listen to all the eerie sounds, but it certainly adds to the realness of the game. The first night, I wasn’t paying close attention to the noises and ended up getting murdered within two minutes but it was a good learning experience and prepared me for the next four nights. 

Without giving too much away, lights may flicker when certain entities draw near, so it’s a good idea to focus on even the smallest of details. Perhaps one of the most nerve-wracking aspects of Abtos Covert is monitoring the energy levels. As tempting as it is to have all areas secured, all lights on, and all doors closed, this is the best way to sentence yourself to death as this quickly eats up your energy supply. Strategy is your best friend when it comes to surviving and also a little bit of luck and quick thinking even if it means hiding in a locker so an enemy can’t find you. 

If you’re a fan of strategic horror games like Five Nights at Freddy’s or mystery adventure games like Firewatch, you’ll find that Abtos Covert mixes a little of both genres. Not too scary and just enough intrigue that will make you want to survive each of the nights and strategize your next move. You can find it on Steam, available for Windows. What could be more fun than welcoming the paranormal to potentially become the next victim?