​The Park Review

By Kevin Mitchell  |  Posted: October 24, 2019

The Park, originally released four years ago on PC, has made its way to Nintendo Switch just in time for Halloween. While amusement parks typically bring happiness to visitors of all ages, The Park uses psychological horror to cause emotional distress. As darkness falls, Lorraine, a single mother, journeys into Atlantic Island Park after her son Callum runs in to retrieve his teddy bear. As a walking simulator, The Park's length depends on how much you explore to grasp the narrative. Most complete it in under an hour if rushing, or up to two hours when examining every item.

As you ascend the entrance escalator, something nightmarish occurs as the park deteriorates before your eyes. Without explanation, day gives way to night - because exploring a creepy amusement park is more terrifying in darkness. Chasing after Callum, you'll walk through the park, ride attractions, and read newspaper articles and handwritten notes. While collecting notes is optional, they provide crucial details about the park's history and Lorraine's mental state.

It quickly becomes clear there's more to The Park than a mother searching for her son. The first ride sets the mood with a lengthy sequence following Hansel and Gretel through projected shadows. Its importance lies in the witch's relationship with Hansel, foreshadowing the mother-son dynamic. Later rides offer more scares, especially the roller coaster featuring shadow creatures and hospital corridors with bloodied messages.

The longer the search continues, the clearer Lorraine's struggles become. She has serious issues around motherhood and takes prescribed medication. Her inner monologues shift frequently between sadness, regret, and fiery anger. There are several unsettling moments, particularly in the finale. The sideshow area is especially disturbing after reading about workplace injuries, guest accidents, and gruesome deaths.

As a Funcom title, The Park shares its world with the MMO The Secret World. Familiarity with that game enhances understanding of the lore and characters but isn't necessary. Released months ago on Xbox One and PlayStation 4, I hoped the Nintendo Switch version would perform better. Instead, this weaker version performs worse than expected. The visuals are inferior, with an unforgivable draw distance - grass appears almost directly in front of you. I encountered a game-breaking bug where a door failed to open after obtaining the flashlight, requiring a restart to fix.

Simply Put

The Park's strongest moments come from the sense of dread and uneasiness in an abandoned amusement park as you search for your child. While not particularly scary despite some jump scares, it's more unnerving than frightening. The climactic area effectively delivers the narrative, though rushing through may cause you to miss its intended message.