Have You Played... Lone Survivor?

A demake is like a remake but with a retro vibe rather than a desire to update and refurbish. Lone Survivor [official site], Jasper Byrne's modern classic, initially seems like it's going to be little more than a Silent Hill demake of sorts. Then it becomes one of the few truly Lynchian games, and then it becomes something else entirely.

Whatever else it might be, Lone Survivor is a true survival horror game. Resources are limited, death can come swiftly, and despite the seemingly lo-fi (but actually beautifully accomplished) graphics, every scene is thick with detail.

I couldn't have realised, when I first played it, that it'd take more than five years for Byrne to release his next game. And yet here I am, still waiting. I shouldn't be surprised; Byrne is a musician and he's continued to exercise his creativity in that field, and his output has included contributions to game soundtracks, most notably Hotline Miami and its sequel.

One day, I hope to see another game from Byrne though. Lone Survivor has so much in common with other things that I love, but it's not quite like any of them and it has a very special place in my memory.