With Halloween quickly approaching, PQube and Sonnori are hoping you’ll scare yourself silly with White Day: A Labyrinth Named School.
Those familiar with the horror genre will likely know that White Day: A Labyrinth Named School isn’t new. The original game released in 2001, but never left the confines of Korea. It was then remade for mobile phones in 2009 and again in 2015. That 2015 remake is key here, as that would then go on to be made available on other formats worldwide in subsequent years.
You can read our 2017 review of the PS4 version of White Day: A Labyrinth Called School here, for example. And now, some five years later, it’s made its way to yet more formats. So, whether you own an Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch or PS5, there’s now a version of this cult horror game for you.
We’ve been playing the PS5 version of White Day: A Labyrinth Named School, which we have to say is a little disappointing. It’s essentially the PS4 version but with a higher resolution; beyond that there’s little else of note. There’s no free upgrade path, either, but at least all of the game’s DLC is included, even if it just amounts to some frivolous costumes.
If you want to play a horror game where all of the cast are dressed in beach wear, or where your evil pursuers are dressed in oversized Christmas outfits, this is the game for you. It perhaps takes a little away from the atmosphere, but it also adds a certain comedy. It’s certainly worth messing with the outfits available for a second or maybe even third playthrough.
And this is a game you’re likely to play through multiple times if you gel with it. There are multiple endings to discover, as well as a whole host of difficulty levels. It’s also short enough that another playthrough doesn’t feel like too much of an undertaking.
All of the problems of the original 2015 release remain, though. This is a game with an archaic save system and cat-and-mouse gameplay that can be tense at times, but also dull and occasionally frustrating. Getting cornered by a pursuer and losing progress is rarely fun, for example. And some scenarios you’ll overcome by trial and error rather than common sense. But despite all this, it somewhat succeeds as a survival horror game.
It’s Switch and Xbox gamers that are the real winners here, finally being able to access this cult favourite. With the DLC included, it’s not bad value, either. On the PlayStation front though, there’s not much reason for PS5 owners to pick this up if they already own the PS4 version. The sharper visuals are nice, and the costumes are neat, but they don’t dramatically change the experience. Still, ardent fans might want to double dip.
White Day: A Labyrinth Named School is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch and PC
