Flesh Made Fear Review – SUPER Retro 90s Survival-Horror on Your PS5

Flesh Made Fear is a clear love letter to 90s survival horrors like Resident Evil and Silent Hill and when I first discovered what kind of game it was, it had my instant attention – which is why I’m pretty bummed that it’s as much of a battle against monsters and evil… as it is a battle against frustration.

Watch the video review or continue reading below.

Priced at $20 in the U.S. with a playtime of around 6-8 hours, Flesh Made Fear by Tainted Pact Games is a retro-survival horror about an elite squad that’s sent to a remote place to stop a bad guy.

It hits the mark in some places but misses many others. While it goes for that old Playstation 1 look, it looks at times but just doesn’t quite land, especially with overly contrasted lighting and an optional CRT filter that’s just not practical.

It never really gave me a good reason to care about the story or the characters in any meaningful way either, especially when the games it draws its influences from have always been so strong in that area.

I love the old tank controls and idea of old school game systems, but when it comes to game design that includes collecting items, crafting and inventory management, there’s much to be desired when compared to the golden oldies. Despite the throwbacks to older games, the level design isn’t as smart as it needs to be for this sort of game either – and that goes for the puzzles as well.

There’s an unfortunate lack of tension to the experience in Flesh Made Fear, and there’s no real scares to write home about, and no real good use of the fixed camera angles that were weaponised to such a terrifying degree by the creators of Resident Evil and Silent Hill back in the day.

Combat has a lack of impact as well, and there’s none of that great urgency and tension you get from trying to hit a slow-moving zombie as it shambles towards you or puckering up your butt cheeks as you barely manage to squeeze past an enemy. Taking damage was also wildly inconsistent, often leaving me injured when I thought I’d not been touched, or having barely taken any damage after it seemed like I got pretty ripped up by enemies. To make it worse, I had a bug now and then that caused bandages to get consumed, but not actually heal me.

It may sound like I’m just dunking on the game, but there is still a serviceable game here, and one that some might enjoy more than others. As a retro survival horror promising a specific kind of experience to a fairly specific audience though, it doesn’t fully deliver. I’ve felt like it’s not more, but rather is less than the sum of its parts.

Verdict: I was really rooting for Flesh Made Fear and to be honest, it’s mostly kind of… fine. But when all the ingredients were there to deliver something quite special, It’s disappointing to see it miss the mark, and while it’s only $20 new I still think you should wait for a sale if you’re still that curious to check it out.

Description from the official site:

Classic Horror, Reimagined

“Flesh Made Fear pays homage to the PSX-era survival horror that defined a generation. Drawing inspiration from the original Resident Evil trilogy, it masterfully blends intricate puzzles, heart-pounding combat, and a dread-filled atmosphere. But this isn’t just a nostalgic throwback—it’s a bold evolution. Modernized controls, immersive cinematics, and a gripping story will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last moment.

Take on the role of an elite operative in the Reaper Intervention Platoon (R.I.P.), a covert task force deployed to neutralize Victor “The Dripper” Ripper—a brilliant but deranged former CIA agent. His sinister experiments have turned a desolate backwater town into a nightmare filled with grotesque monsters and mind-controlled thralls.

Your mission is clear: eliminate Ripper, unravel his chilling secrets, and survive the horrors lurking in his mansion-turned-laboratory.

Are you ready to step into the darkness?”