THE 4 SINS is a premium puzzle experience from Qimen Interactive Entertainment and Gamera Games. This multiplayer game puts players in a massive escape room, trapping them in a neighborhood with multiple buildings — all of which are abandoned. Find interactive items, piece the story together, and find a way to escape.

With up to four players and a first-person perspective, expect THE 4 SINS to be immersive and enjoyable, if only it can address its severe optimization issues. It combines the horror of The Bathhouse | 地獄銭湯 and The Hallways, although it falls short because of technical problems.

Find the truth in a remote Chinese town

THE 4 SINS is set in a small Qingshan Town. While it’s not an accurate recreation of a real-life location, the design effectively captures remote villages in a past era. Various ads and posters, narrow streets, and shanties set the tone for the game. Within this empty neighborhood are clues to the story as well as interactions that drive the gameplay and the narrative forward.

As mentioned, the game is played via a first-person perspective, which works well with the game’s limited lighting and atmospheric sound. Together, these elements make the overall experience immersive and scary, and its story is worth following. One aspect players would appreciate is the use of photorealistic images that look like real photographs inserted into the game, adding realism and additional tension.

However, all the abovementioned parts of the game are good in theory only. The game is promising but a lot of work needs to be done in terms of optimization. Whether on the servers or the game packaging, players have reported bad glitches that make the game virtually unplayable at times. Other than that, the short playthrough and limited replayability make it a quick, one-time experience.

A promising game that needs fixing

In conclusion, THE 4 SINS successfully captures the essence of a remote Chinese town with its atmospheric design and photorealistic images, creating an immersive and tense experience. However, the game's potential is marred by significant technical issues, including bad glitches and poor optimization. Additionally, its short playthrough and limited replayability diminish its overall appeal, making it a promising but flawed endeavor.