Sorry to say, but this is going to be another somewhat anemic review. Not because the game is broken or I can't figure it out. No, this review is going to be short because I don't want to spoil the experience.
What I can tell you is that this game is SCARY. I haven't played much of Amnesia: The Dark Descent, but, for sake of reference, I was more scared during Erebus than I was during that game.
One thing that I love about Erebus is that I think it's one of those games that can be studied. I think there's a valuable lesson to be learned here about just how invested someone can get in a blank-slate character. Throughout the game, there are no details given about who you are or what you're doing. Compare that with Amnesia. In that game, the first words to be uttered are "My name is Daniel," followed by some more backstory. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but if there was ever a game to prove to us that it's unnecessary, it's Erebus. The only things you get in terms of written exposition are orange wall etchings. That means the game has to rely on its mechanics and design alone to convey the story. I admire that a lot in a game.
That said, I do think a few things are underexplained. A few motifs or set pieces will occasionally pop up out of nowhere and perhaps be called back to a few times, but they don't really have any implications for your character. Fair warning: what I'm about to say is very minimally spoilerey, but still spoilerey:
BEGIN SPOILERY TYPE THINGS
Let's compare the gooey jamlike substances from Erebus and Amnesia. In Amnesia, the player has no idea what the jam is, and as such may even be tempted to stand on it. If he does this, however, he takes damage. This strengthens the perilous mood the game attempts to set. The walls are covered in this jam stuff, meaning you as the player are literally surrounded...encased, even, by danger. In Erebus, the jam just kinda chills there. You can play with it all you want and it won't hurt you. This only ends up hurting the game by giving the player the thought that he or she might be invincible. After all, the jam is arguably the most threatening thing in the facility, and you can bounce about on it merrily with no repercussions. After that, all the player really has to do is ignore the scary sights and sounds to completely uproot the entire feel of the game. This may seem like a huge flaw, but I honestly don't mind it THAT much. The creators of this game were, I think, trying to see how much fear, or even just feeling in general, they could deliver with the minimal amount of substance. In that respect, Erebus passes with flying colors
END SPOLIERY TYPE THINGS
I encourage anyone who reads this to play Erebus. If you're up for a challenge, play it at midnight during a thunderstorm or something, but it works during the day as well. Fair warning: the ending may seem disappointing or lazy at first, but when you get to it, just think about it. Think about why they chose to end the game like that. Think about the visceral human fears the ending plays to on the most personal of levels.
This game definitely earns my seal of approval. That's all for now. Until next time, stay alive.
Links
Oh God, what's that?! https://www.digipen.edu/?id=1170&proj=24654
