Death Proclaimed has been a long time of mine, having played the first two I was excited to get my paws on DP2: VL. This game expands so deeply into its atmosphere created by the first two games, and hits the sweet spot of combat that is usually missed in horror games made in RPG Maker 2k3. So, lets break this review down into sections so your poor eyes aren't bombarded with a giant wall of text, shall we?



---- Combat System ----
All 3 death proclaimed systems have very creative ABS and CMS. Action Battle System and Custom Menu Script for those who don't know RPG Maker lingo. Although many understand the frustration that was the first games combat, DP: VL creates a fantastic ABS with enemies that are not only terrifying by nature but their appearance and location are precise and planned. Monster transform out of door and chairs, which gives rooms that are normally empty no telegraph of danger. What looks like a safe room instantly turns into panic as a chair starts a rampage at you at full force. Enemies have clearly placed frames in their charges and attacks, and most will never charge at you without fair warning. Unlike a lot of horror combat systems, DP doesn't try to put you at a constant disadvantage, nor does it attempt to create events that are frustrating you want to give up. You may be scared, you may panic but if your reflexes and abilities are good you shouldn't see the game over screen too often... Save for a few tricky events that catch you off guard. Overall, I recommend combat difficulty 1 if you don't care for combat, 2 for regular play, 3 for a challenge, and 4 if you want Nintendo hard.


---- Story Progression ----
This is not a stand alone game, and it is recommended you at least play DP 2 (though I expect you to play both because they're good.) to understand whats going on in this game. The storyline build up and the events that progress all seem in place. What once may have had you scratching your head all makes sense as the game reaches its final closure. Toying with your fears of Sam and Olga from the second game, both appear as major characters and are constantly in your travels. Sam may have been a pushover in DP2, but he's no slouch here and will gun you down at every opportunity you dare give him. Overall the plot is reminiscent of that seen in Silent Hill, but is very refreshing and pleasant on its own. Overall, the plot of these games is what kept me coming back.


---- Puzzles ----
This game is no softy when it comes to puzzles. Unless you set your puzzle difficulty to easy, you may find yourself as frustrated as many found themselves with the classic SH1: Piano puzzle. I'd almost say Puzzle Difficulty 4 is too hard, at least for many. You have to be the cleverest of duckies around to catch the subtle hints given to you. I started on PD4 myself until I found myself stuck rather early in the game, had to lower the difficulty just to continue. Many may find these puzzles teeth grinding in terms of anger. My least favorite puzzle was probably the elevator puzzle, combined with the criminal switch puzzle. My favorite puzzle was the bloody finger one, that one was clever and very interesting. It really threw me off guard in the visuals and was really above average with what I expect out of 2k3 horror games. Overall, if you're a big fan of puzzles and brain teasers this game really is a fantastic play.


---- Horror aspects ----
Given that this is a genre of horror, classic and physiological, this game really does manage to keep you on edge. It has jump scares, but they're not "loud screamer" jump scares. They're instances or flashes of color combined with the appearance of a monster or sometimes an object will break/shatter. In terms of gore, you get to see a lot of pixelated blood. You get to see bodies get ripped in half, people hanging, limb dismemberment, the whole 9 yards. In terms of raw terror, the ventilation room near the end of the game is probably one of the scariest events I've ever dealt with in a game. That event had me on edge and more afraid for my life than Amnesia: MFP ever did. You may think I'm exaggerating but I dare you to make it through that event without screaming/fearing for your life at least once. A combination of suspenseful music, terrifying sprites, and dramatic slow and screeching effects really does a number on your brain.


---- Final verdict ----
Where I would've never given DP or DP2 a 5 star rating. This game managed to do everything right. Giving you a choice in terms of difficulty which wasn't really given to the player in previous games is a plus. Introduction to gun combat was also a plus. No boring knife gameplay in the beginning. You're given a gun from the start and you don't even have to switch between a gun and a melee weapon to converse ammo. You can use the gun itself as a melee weapon and pistol whip all your foes who dare try and place themselves in front of you. A shotgun is given to the player later, which is a really power weapon but sadly does not have a melee option given to the player. Personally I think giving it a "shove" attack that didn't do damage would've an interesting feature but that is purely my own opinion. I never felt overly stressed for healing items, and save points weren't too awful to get a hold of. It's not often I fanboy over an RPG Maker game but this project and all games within its series has really kept me hooked. Therefore, I give DP 2: VL a 5/5 rating.
Good combat, good scares, good story, and good programming.