Now I played the Sniper Killer demo, I really wanted to keep the theme of spooky horror games going with this week’s game. I had to really come to terms with psychological horror because I really hate that specific genre of horror. It’s okay though, That Which Gave Chase is something I just will never understand, so I’m here this week to talk about whatever it was that I played.

That Which Gave Chase is a psychological horror game from Asklad Karlsen Hauglid. The game was released on Steam in June and retails for $5.50

From what I grasped from the notes littered throughout the game, That Which Gave Chase is about an expedition that was abandoned for an incredibly vague reason. You take the role of a dog sledder transporting the last of the expedition back to find clues and continue the research that was abandoned there. The game plays out in a linear fashion and has a few time skips sprinkled in.

The story is vague but that is the allure of it. This scientist that the player is transporting is mysterious in his speech and actions. He is the last of this expedition and speaks that there is some entity, or God that is to be found in this arctic wasteland. Aggressive deer, hallucinogenic mushrooms, and a wandering killer makes That Which Gave Chase a superb atmosphere.

For the most part, That Which Gave Chase does not have much in the gameplay department up until the second half of the game. Most of the time the player, being the professional musher they are, is carting this scientist man around the icy wilderness in search of his missing expedition. A gun and a lantern are given and used throughout the game, but a majority of the time walking, running and dog sledding is the main gameplay.

That Which Gave Chase is another one of those PsX-style games where nothing is recognizable and the lantern illuminates fuck all. It is this lack of render distance that creates an inescapable feeling that something is watching you. Figures loom in the distance, starting as if they are watching you frantically search for this missing expedition. As fast as they come into view, they disappear. Coupled with the sound design, it is remarkable.

That Which Gave Chase was an interesting experience. During the hour and change that I played the game was wondering what was going on, so I made it a point to read every piece of collectible that I could, and the story began to make sense. The game can be slow to start but once it gets going, it really started to get weird. The mushing sections take up a majority of the time and when the game does not want to spook you, are some of the most relaxing moments. Learning about this world and its context through these small conversations is crucial to my approval of this video game.

That Which Gave Chase is not nearly as spooky as I wanted it to be, but nonetheless, I enjoyed my time with That Which Gave Chase.

Yes, you can pet the dogs.