Dollhouse: Behind The Broken Mirror Review

A Twisted Tale of Dolls and Dread

What is it about dolls and mannequins that fill our souls with dread and horror? Is it the legend of the Golem where an inanimate object molded by a human can suddenly come to life and cause chaos? 

Whatever the reason, games have used this trope for years, with one of the most recent, the wonderful Resident Evil Village playing around with a doll-like boss. 

Dollhouse: Behind The Broken Mirror is a game that focuses on inanimate objects coming to life and trying to kill you. But does it tread any new ground?

A Descent into Madness

Dollhouse: Behind The Broken Mirror starts in an empty theatre with a red-dressed singer doing a number which results in her collapsing to the floor. Her name is Eliza and she wakes up in a psychiatric hospital without remembering anything. She meets the doctor who tells her she is about to go on an experimental drug that will induce a state of illusion with the hope of curing her. What could go wrong? 

Well, he takes her back to her home, an old manor house situated next to a doll factory to induce her memories. Very quickly her past is revealed and the horror of the present shows itself…

The narrative and the intriguing setup of the story are both on point in Dollhouse. Some of the writing and world-building is very good and how it mixes horror elements with magical parts made me excited about playing. The thing is, it’s a bit of a shame that we never hear from Eliza herself in any form, voice or text, apart from as her song plays initially. In fact, after an hour or so the narrative feels like it heads towards familiar horror themes, in the process, losing some of its intrigue. 

Exploring the Nightmare: Gameplay and Mechanics

The gameplay takes place in the first person and the exploration side of the game is very good. It’s enjoyable to take in the initial setup of walking around the manor and exploring the world. You can pick up items and of course, you have your inventory full of the goodies you have collected. There is a list of objectives to focus on too, as well as some optional tasks that you can take on. Dollhouse: Behind The Broken Mirror mostly has the feel of an open-world game, but in reality it is mostly linear, with multiple areas blocked off. It’s fairly simple in terms of puzzles too, like shooting some statues in a certain order. 

Combat Camera and Clunkiness

By far the weakest elements are found in the combat. You get a gun early on in the game and are then presented with the first enemies – walking mannequins who rise from the ground. It’s not a great system that takes place, mostly as the gun feels light and not great to use. In fact, the enemies swarm you quickly and before you know it you’re dead. There were multiple points in Dollhouse: Behind The Broken Mirror in which I tried to run if I could, because the fighting was so uninspired and boring. It’s a shame because it ruins the atmosphere and tension that the game tries hard to create in the beginning. 

A Visually Uneasy Experience

Visually, Dollhouse: Behind The Broken Mirror does a fine job without being overly impressive. There are some nice environmental designs and the dolls can look a bit scary at times. But when it comes to the camera, everything feels a bit strange. It moves around like a drunk, on their first day of work experience. It’s so strange the decisions it makes and really doesn’t help in the cutscenes. 

There are some nice sound effects though, and these add to the jumpscares, kicking in alongside a solid soundtrack. There is some good voice work displayed in the game with some tight performances from the actors. 

A Haunting Horror Tale with Missed Potential

If Dollhouse: Behind The Broken Mirror didn’t come complete with such a mad roaming camera, and if the combat wasn’t bland, then it would make for a much better game. With these elements in place, it instead feels a bit unfinished, unable to be lifted to heights through the intriguing and enjoyable atmosphere and narrative. 

Yes, there are moments to like, such as the exploration and puzzle solving, but ultimately they are not enough to lift it to anything approaching Resident Evil-style levels; a series that the game style tries to go toe-to-toe with. 

Important Links

Watch your courage crumble – SOEDESCO announce Dollhouse: Behind The Broken Mirror – https://www.thexboxhub.com/watch-your-courage-crumble-soedesco-announce-dollhouse-behind-the-broken-mirror/

Get Ready for a World of Fear in Dollhouse: Behind the Broken Mirror – https://www.thexboxhub.com/get-ready-for-a-world-of-fear-in-dollhouse-behind-the-broken-mirror/

Buy Dollhouse: Behind the Broken Mirror on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/dollhouse-behind-the-broken-mirror/9n0st16vzv1c