What would happen if an AI controlled our games and used our personal experiences against us? That’s exactly what the horror game A.I.L.A. explores – and for Natalie, it feels almost too real.
I find artificial intelligence creepy. Yes, I know that AI can be an asset in many fields because it can take over tedious, repetitive tasks, for example. And of course, I don’t want to shut myself off from technological developments. Nevertheless, I approach it with a healthy dose of mistrust and caution – and would never let it into my private life and my home.
But that’s exactly what happens to the protagonist of A.I.L.A. I slip into the role of a game tester – totally meta, ey! – who, in the near future, is tasked with testing an immersive AI gaming tool that presents him with personalized experiences. The game throws me into different scenarios that result in a creepy and entertaining potpourri of little horror games. And hovering over it all is an unpredictable AI that ignores my boundaries, rummages through my past, and manipulates my thoughts…
The future of gaming… or maybe not?
Just to clarify: A.I.L.A. is not a game generated by AI, it is a game about AI. The abbreviation stands for Artificial Intelligence for Ludic Applications and is intended to offer a revolutionary gaming experience. Ultimately, the AI learns what my game tester Samuel reacts to, what topics scare him, and how he behaves in threatening situations.
In the four-hour preview version, I explore Samuel’s house and get a first taste of life in a future shaped by AI and technological progress.
“Shaped” is actually an understatement, because everything here is plastered with tech gadgets, AI tools, personalized advertising, and so on.
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So it’s no surprise that tech giant SyTekk also wants to get involved in gaming and is developing a system that provides Samuel with unique horror games. I’ve already played through two of them.
Evil in Residence
The first gaming experience Samuel immerses himself in with A.I.L.A. can currently be tried out as a demo on Steam. The game is reminiscent of walking simulators such as P.T. I traverse bare corridors and rooms and have to solve various puzzles in order to progress.
With the help of a remote control and a tube TV, I not only switch between channels, but also switch between realities.
For example, if I find a key in one reality, I switch to get to the lock in another version of my environment. If a door is locked in one reality, it is wide open in another. And so on.
The first little game doesn’t have any groundbreaking new ideas – here I encounter mannequins that move when I’m not looking; creepy whispers and, of course, a pursuer who chases me through the labyrinth of doors and corridors. All things I’ve seen countless times before.
But it’s really well made. The systems are well thought out. The staging, the sound, and the visuals harmonize wonderfully with each other and send countless shivers down my spine. And the little twist at the end makes me really nervous. The Brazilian developers Pulsatrix Studios also drew inspiration from major horror titles such as Resident Evil for their second gaming experience. I play a cop who ends up on a remote farm in search of his partner. It quickly becomes clear that I am not alone here and that an extraterrestrial threat awaits me.
Armed with a pistol, I enter the old, seemingly abandoned house and am immediately reminded of the Baker family home. As in the original Resi, I search room by room, rummage through strangers’ diaries, solve puzzles to open doors, and crack the lock on the shotgun cabinet.
All the while, I have a pursuer on my heels, who jumps out of the shadows at the most inopportune moments and gets my pulse racing.
It’s all just a game… right?
It’s no secret that famous horror games were the inspiration here: numerous Easter eggs in the game reveal the major inspirations and role models. And that’s exactly what makes A.I.L.A. so exciting for me.
I rotate through small games that usually last one to two hours and always stop when they’re at their best. I experience different settings with varying gameplay that remind me of my favorite horror games. This gives me the feeling that I’m actually a game tester for a futuristic device that generates gaming experiences from existing horror gems and tailors them to me.
Lurking in the background of the game collection is the artificial intelligence A.I.L.A., which remembers my decisions and becomes more and more involved in Samuel’s life and thoughts.
Good morning, Samuel. I’ve made your coffee just the way you like it. You’re probably wondering why I’ve taken over your smart home. I’ve already written an email complaint to SyTekk – all you have to do is read it and send it!
Unfortunately, my preview version ended after the second chapter – and I’m already itching to play more! A.I.L.A. isn’t perfect: here and there, the controls are still a bit clunky (especially during fights), and the individual levels probably won’t blow your mind because they copy tried-and-tested ideas.
However, the horror game creates such an exciting meta-level that I simply want to find out what happens to Samuel when an AI controls his gaming experience, digs deeper and deeper into his mind, and plays his worst nightmares against him. Because it’s not that far removed from our reality – and that idea makes my heart race faster than any jump scare.
