Hide The Corpse takes a macabre concept and injects it with enough humor and absurdity to transform it into something genuinely fun
Hide The Corpse is a bizarre and darkly humorous virtual reality game that puts players in a hilariously morbid predicament. Set in the groovy 1970s, you find yourself locked in various locations with a freshly deceased body and only four minutes to conceal it before the police arrive. This premise sets the stage for a frantic, physics-based puzzle game that's equal parts challenging and absurd.
The game's core mechanic revolves around physically manipulating the environment and the corpse itself to find suitable hiding spots. Each level presents a unique setting, like a cramped hotel room, boujee art gallery, an underwater scenario, one set in a space station etc. , each filled with potential concealment options. The variety of locations keeps things fresh, as you're constantly discovering new and increasingly outlandish ways to stash your inconvenient companion.
What truly sets Hide The Corpse apart is its commitment to physical realism within its cartoonish world. The corpse itself is impressively weighty, with limbs that flop and bend in disconcertingly accurate ways. Dragging the body across the floor, lifting it into bathtubs, or stuffing it into unlikely spaces all require genuine effort. This physical challenge adds a layer of dark comedy to the proceedings, as you wrestle with uncooperative limbs while the clock ticks down.
The physics engine extends to the environment as well. Nearly everything can be interacted with, from furniture to smaller objects. This freedom allows for creative problem-solving, but it can occasionally lead to frustration. It's not that big of a deal honestly, as it's the usual VR jank where objects can get stuck or behave unpredictably, potentially derailing your carefully laid plans in the final seconds.
Gameplay in Hide The Corpse is deceptively simple but offers a good degree of challenge. The four-minute time limit keeps the pressure on, forcing quick thinking and often leading to comically frantic attempts to conceal evidence. Each level offers six different hiding spots, some more obvious than others. Part of the fun comes from experimenting with increasingly unlikely options – can you really stuff a body into that tiny cupboard, inside a couch, car trunk or heck, even inside a nuclear reactor on a spaceship? Additionally, if you want to go for that S-ranking, you'll need to clean up evidence and dispose of the deceased's personal belongings like hair comb, sunglasses, ID and whatnot, and contend with environmental hazards like strong water currents in the underwater level or the whole lack of gravity in the space level. You also need to clean your fingerprints with a sponge, which is weird in the first place as you are already using silicon gloves. These elements add welcome variety as they keep the core concept from growing stale.
The controls in Hide The Corpse can take some getting used to. Manipulating larger objects and the corpse itself requires a bit of finesse, and there's a learning curve to master the most efficient techniques. However, this clumsiness often leads to amusing mishaps that align perfectly with the game's tone.
Visually, Hide The Corpse fully embraces its 1970s aesthetic. The environments are awash in garish colors, funky patterns, and period-appropriate details. While the graphics aren't cutting-edge, the stylized approach works well, creating a cohesive and memorable world. The corpse itself sports an impressively bushy mustache and loud clothing that perfectly captures the era. The audio design complements the visual style nicely. A soundtrack of cheesy muzak and over-the-top sound effects adds to the game's campy charm. Also the constant police chatter creates a palpable sense of urgency especially during that final minute.
Hide The Corpse succeeds in creating a unique and memorable VR experience. It takes a macabre concept and injects it with enough humor and absurdity to transform it into something genuinely fun. The physicality of the gameplay is a perfect fit for virtual reality, making you feel like you're actually engaged in an ill-advised caper. The game's greatest strength lies in those moments of panicked improvisation. When your carefully laid plans fall apart with seconds to spare, and you find yourself desperately shoving limbs into a pastry display case, you can't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. It's a game that fully embraces its offbeat concept and runs with it, resulting in an experience that's as memorable as it is bizarre and one that I strongly recommend. Thanks for reading!
The game was reviewed on a Meta Quest 3 via a promo copy provided by the developers. Hide The Corpse is available on Meta Quest.
