Mundaun (Multi)
By: Hidden Fields
WHILE their fondue and watches are beyond reproach, the Swiss aren't exactly famed for their contribution to horror. Mundaun, however, is a far cry from Heidi, with some unfinished business up at t'old chalet that proves the chocolate-mongers can scare up a nightmare fans of The Wicker Man will devour like Toblerone.
While there's no wicker, there's plenty of hay – and that Mundaun can make dry grass scary is no mean feat.
On receiving a letter from the local priest saying his grandfather has died in a barn fire, young Curdin sets off to the titular Alpine town (based on a real place of the same name) to see if foul play is afoot. What unfolds is a Faustian tale of highbrow horror, as Curdin travels from rural meadows to the snow-topped peaks of Mundaun Mountain to lay the past to rest.
The old 'deal with the devil' routine gets a liberal dose of HP (Lovecraft) sauce as players trek through various homesteads, huts and caves, gathering clues and artefacts en route to their final showdown with Old Nick.
Much like The Wicker Man, Mundaun eschews the slicing 'n' dicing in favour of a slowly unfolding mystery, complete with ghostly soldiers, demented beekeepers and shuffling piles of hay.
With no jump-scares or cheap tricks, it's a classy affair helped no end by black and white, hand-pencilled visuals, which lend Mundaun serious Ingmar Bergman vibes. Fully acted in the rare Romansh language, it's all about the atmosphere, with shuddersome set-pieces including a scene where you're sat helplessly on the bog.
Yes, there's tiresome fetch-quests, but never have they been so beautifully presented. The combat, however, is ridiculously clunky – be it poking demented Mummers with pitchforks or aiming a rifle that sways so much it's like taking pot-shots while drunk on a fairground ride – but most of your time is spent pootling around in an old hay-baler, stuffing your backpack with items and brewing coffee to increase Curdin's stats.
While certainly eye-popping, Mundaun's monochrome aesthetic can be too dark at times – throw in vague objectives and players can find themselves hopelessly lost. It's not for everyone, then, and if your idea of horror is plugging zombies with hot lead you'll find this hand-drawn horror a poncey slog.
But Mundaun is anything but mundane – and what could have been Swiss cheese is a folk horror slow-burn that seeps into the marrow, all the while confirming your fears about farmer types.
