The last thing you want when you are launching a new game concept is something in the mix that takes things a little too real and literal – and so it proves in the new horror who-dunnit BEAST WITHIN.
Werewolves Awaken is the name of the game getting a mega-party in honour of making its’ bow online, after a hugely successful long-term establishment that was started in the creator’s garage. Various figures associated – and not-so-associated – with the evolution and process of the game have convened on the creator and owner’s country estate to celebrate the new venture.
Unfortunately, a local priest has gate-crashed the party and has damned everyone to hell, which is misinterpreted as a promotional stunt by the audience attending. Before long, it is clear that there is a real touch of lycanthropy in the air as the full moon shines – and a werewolf is lurking in the dark close to midnight….
It is always a risk when you try to take a classic horror motif that has been given an update in films like John Landis’ AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981) and Joe Dante’s THE HOWLING (1980) and mix it with another genre, in this case the murder mystery of a KNIVES OUT or Agatha Christie film adaptation.
BEAST WITHIN works perfectly well when the wolf is at the door – and the make-up effects are certainly up-to-scratch here, but the who-dunnit side of things isn’t quite as effectively realised, making one sense that it would work perfectly well without the intention of gore and shock. The ensemble of characters have more than enough conflict and resentment without a howling irritant outside, but the climax does at least try and up the game.
That said, it does have some mildly diverting noirish fun at its’ heart – and it isn’t half bad.
