Sorry We’re Closed is a 2024 release from à la mode games, which is comprised of only two developers; this is their debut indie game. It is a nostalgic horror-survival game reminiscent of Silent Hill and Resident Evil. Sorry We’re Closed is an artsy, eccentric, punk romp through the liminal world of demons and angels. With a charming style, great music, and an interesting story— if you love this type of game, I don’t think you will be disappointed. Let’s get into it!
PLOT & STORY
You play as Melissa, a woman with a dead-end life who is going through the motions and one night gets cursed by an obsessive demon who tries to force humans to love her or be killed by their curse. Melissa needs to gather items, solve puzzles, and manage resources to try to save her own life. She enters the demon world (which also includes some angels hanging around) to save herself and find answers: why did the demon target her, and how can she break the curse? She can choose to help others as well – if you’re feeling up to it.
I really liked the characters you encounter and their designs. They all have lore and backstories, and they are interesting and look cool. It’s hard to know who to trust and who to decide to help because, quite simply, they’re demons and angels who can be equally frustrating to deal with in my fantasy/sci-fi-experienced opinion.
There are multiple endings, with choices that will affect you down the road and open new opportunities. Be careful who you trust!
GAMEPLAY & MECHANICS
Gameplay and mechanics were the most unenjoyable part of this game for me. Sorry We’re Closed’s controls are based around classic nostalgic PlayStation single-player fixed-camera angles and arcade-style combat. And I keenly felt that nostalgic frustration.
I set the game to easy because I didn’t want to get an aneurism while playing; and while the game wasn’t hard, it was quite frustrating to play. Having to perform 3 different controls in literally 1 second to hit a boss (and then find out you’re facing the wrong way) is literally my gaming hell; then add to that an immobile first-person view when you’re in combat, and I was fuming.
I’m certainly not a diamond-level gamer, and I don’t have those levels of reflexes and dexterity. I also don’t enjoy the “run around the same level 50 times to find the things and use them in the correct order” style of game. I 100% know that this is a user issue, so I really don’t want to blame the game for what it is.
VISUALS
While I didn’t enjoy the gameplay mechanics, I loved the visuals. Of course, I understand pairing the nostalgic PS polygons with the classic camera views, but I preferred the visuals far more than the camera angles and appreciated the environments and atmosphere of the game. Some of the maps are beautiful (such as the demon hotel) and some—in the spirit of survival horror—were just gross. The “Third Eye” mechanic shows you the opposite of what you’re seeing: if you’re in a gross, abandoned aquarium and you turn on your Third Eye, you see everything cleaned up and fresh; if you’re in a tidy and shiny demon zone, you will see the demon filth underneath. Using your Third Eye will also reveal demons and angels.
SOUND
One of the most pleasant aspects of this game is the music and sound. Who doesn’t like the clicking of shoes in retro survival games? Who doesn’t like the sound of shuffling and gathering resources? Who doesn’t like the squelch of an exploded demon’s body?
The music was incredible. The ambient music is entertaining, and each boss has a hype pop/rap song while you fight. The only sounds that annoyed me was the reload of your guns, which sounds like there are still enemies around you, and for some reason I had a hard time getting past that.
CONCLUSION
Although there were aspects of this game that I had a hard time vibing with, overall, I think this is a fun game if you’re in the mood for some 90’s 90s-style survival horror. And maybe if I was simply in the mood for this type of game, I would have enjoyed it more. It certainly isn’t a bad game, and I hope no one has that takeaway from my review. I think anyone who likes this style of game should absolutely check it out!
Available 3/6/25 on Xbox One, Series S|X, Switch, and PlayStation; also available on PC.
Sorry, We're Closed
Played on
Xbox Series X
PROS
- Charming Style
- Great Music
- Interesting Story
CONS
- Tank Controls
