Let's start this with a couple of confessions:

I do not like horror games in general.

I also am abysmal at puzzles and tend to post repeated requests for help even for the simplest of them.

Which makes it even more surprising that I really enjoyed Chelsea.

And the reason for this is that Chelsea, though employing a number of classic horror tropes, is not gratuitously "scary" or gory. Rather, it uses these elements as the scaffolding for a simple, elegantly told, and (ultimately) very moving storyline, which is what gives Chelsea its heart and soul. Without that unfolding storyline, and the way it is brought to close, Chelsea would simply be an average-to-mediocre puzzle game, a sort of poor man's Anchorhead transplanted to RPG Maker.

Breaking this down further:

Story and writing: (5 out of 5)

Have you ever come to the end of a horror movie or story and said to yourself "Hey, that didn't really make sense? What was the point of that thing there?" While this is regrettably common, Chelsea is refreshingly different. It opens with a situation that is semi-comic rather than terrifying: Daniel, an everyman, has just lost the engagement ring he intended to give to his childhood sweetheart (the titular Chelsea) and must look for it. From there, the story takes you on a ride involving numerous twists and turns - only for all of these to be neatly tied up in a few brief lines of exposition at the very end. I'm not spoiling it further, because you really need to experience it for yourself, but let's just say it's very, very good indeed.

Graphics and aesthetics: (4.5 out of 5)

Very good again. While there's nothing that reaches out of the screen and "wow"'s you in the fashion of a Resonate or Middens, the mapping, sprite work and backgrounds are all very well chosen, and serve to build the game's atmosphere perfectly. Special bonus for a certain canine character whom you will encounter mid-way through the game.

Gameplay: (3.5 out of 5)

There are two aspects to Chelsea's gameplay: the puzzles and exploration, and the occasional chase / jump-scare scenes. While the former work very well and serve to build the story and characters while not being obtrusive, the latter feel unnecessary - they seem tacked-on, and in the case of the "BOO! Scary faces!" images that pop up from time to time - even tacky. Omitting these elements - or simply having a chase scene end in an ominous effect and a fade to black, rather than relying on the hackneyed "blood, gore, red eyes and scary HANDS!" aesthetic - would have made those sections of the game less annoying to play through, given that you are certain to die at least a few times during them.

Music: (4.5 out of 5)

Chelsea's musical elements, like its graphical assets, are well suited to the kind of story it wants to tell. While a couple of tunes do tend to become loud and jarring at times, this is a very minor quibble, and most of the time, the music amplifies the player's experience without being distracting or breaking their immersion.

Overall: (4.5 out of 5)

Chelsea is a top-notch example of what can be achieved using the RPG Maker engine with the right custom artwork and music, not to mention the excellent story and writing. Even if you're not a fan of the horror genre, you will probably enjoy it. Give it a spin - even if you get a few Game Over screens, there's enough in here to keep you coming back.

Highly recommended.

Also,