Anne’s past refuses to stay buried
By Paul Hunter
BrokenLore: FOLLOW marks the return of Serafini Productions’ psychological first-person horror series to PS5 after UNFOLLOW's release earlier this year, with Soft Source publishing this entry in the BrokenLore universe. I really enjoy this series' focus on short personal stories built for horror fans, and this new iteration follows the same winning format.
The BrokenLore games are interesting because each entry uses psychological horror to explore personal emotional damage instead of simple monster scares. FOLLOW keeps that focus by returning to Anne, the protagonist from the previous game, this time putting her childhood self-worth and family history at the centre of this nightmare.
So, is Anne’s latest nightmare worth following on PS5? Let’s find out!
I really dug how personal the story is, covering sensitive topics like bullying, body image, eating disorder, and emotional damage from home life, giving us even more insight into the harrowing life of Anne. It treats her pain with the respect and dignity it deserves.
Anne’s mother is the story's central threat. Her control and constant criticism are the focal points of each chapter, putting heavy emotional weight on your actions and outcomes.
Across seven chapters, each around 15-20 minutes long, Anne’s childhood doll (Mini Anne) guides her through the nightmare, pointing her toward memories and pieces of the past she needs to face. It's neat how the doll works as both a helper and a source of unease, because even when it's being helpful a horror doll never feels completely safe. I also appreciated how psychologist Emanuela Papa guides us through the sensitive themes, because it again treats Anne’s pain with the utmost care.
All considered, the story is one of the strongest draws for this game as it lands with impact and emotional resonance.
Each chapter will have you collecting items, checking interactable objects, reading notes, opening locked paths, and completing objectives. The focused gameplay works well because it makes you study each room intently and even the slightest noise or room shift sends chills down your spine. Optional notes, hidden symbols, decision points, and a secret ending reward careful exploration.
I'm glad that the chase sequences from the previous game are gone, as the controls were a bit clunky, but FOLLOW does add side-scrolling Mini Anne sections with light platforming between chapters. The platforming is fairly simple, you mostly dodge obstacles or climb boxes, but I enjoyed the change because it gives the doll a more prominent role beyond guiding the story.
I really liked how the lighting changes your approach and confidence in each room. Dark rooms make you naturally more cautious, but there are sometimes lights you can turn on to make things feel safer. The stalking mother entity also works well since it gives Anne's fear a physical form.
Mini Anne is another strongly designed character. Being a small doll she should be harmless, yet the way she randomly pops up made me suspicious every time she appeared. I still followed her every time, because apparently I like making poor choices in horror games.
The audio design is excellent. The soundtrack uses silence and build-up audio cues to keep you always listening while you search. Voice acting is also great and gives Anne’s story the emotion it needs, especially when the mother-daughter cutscenes take front and centre.
On PS5, performance was solid during my time with the game, with no frame drops or graphical glitches worth noting. All in all, the presentation sells Anne’s nightmare through strong lighting, unsettling spaces, excellent audio, and a smooth experience.
Final Score: 7.5/10 - Good
Developer: Serafini Productions
Publisher: Serafini Productions, Soft Source
Genre: Horror
Modes: Single-player
By Paul Hunter
BrokenLore: FOLLOW marks the return of Serafini Productions’ psychological first-person horror series to PS5 after UNFOLLOW's release earlier this year, with Soft Source publishing this entry in the BrokenLore universe. I really enjoy this series' focus on short personal stories built for horror fans, and this new iteration follows the same winning format.
The BrokenLore games are interesting because each entry uses psychological horror to explore personal emotional damage instead of simple monster scares. FOLLOW keeps that focus by returning to Anne, the protagonist from the previous game, this time putting her childhood self-worth and family history at the centre of this nightmare.
So, is Anne’s latest nightmare worth following on PS5? Let’s find out!
Story and Narrative
BrokenLore: FOLLOW puts Anne inside a horror world shaped by traumatic childhood memories of self-doubt and her difficult relationship with her mother. After waking inside her childhood home, Anne starts facing parts of her past that still affect how she sees herself.I really dug how personal the story is, covering sensitive topics like bullying, body image, eating disorder, and emotional damage from home life, giving us even more insight into the harrowing life of Anne. It treats her pain with the respect and dignity it deserves.
Anne’s mother is the story's central threat. Her control and constant criticism are the focal points of each chapter, putting heavy emotional weight on your actions and outcomes.
Across seven chapters, each around 15-20 minutes long, Anne’s childhood doll (Mini Anne) guides her through the nightmare, pointing her toward memories and pieces of the past she needs to face. It's neat how the doll works as both a helper and a source of unease, because even when it's being helpful a horror doll never feels completely safe. I also appreciated how psychologist Emanuela Papa guides us through the sensitive themes, because it again treats Anne’s pain with the utmost care.
All considered, the story is one of the strongest draws for this game as it lands with impact and emotional resonance.
Gameplay and Mechanics
BrokenLore: FOLLOW is a first-person horror game focused around exploration and puzzle solving. There's no combat, which is a nice change of pace, so your goal is to simply survive.Each chapter will have you collecting items, checking interactable objects, reading notes, opening locked paths, and completing objectives. The focused gameplay works well because it makes you study each room intently and even the slightest noise or room shift sends chills down your spine. Optional notes, hidden symbols, decision points, and a secret ending reward careful exploration.
I'm glad that the chase sequences from the previous game are gone, as the controls were a bit clunky, but FOLLOW does add side-scrolling Mini Anne sections with light platforming between chapters. The platforming is fairly simple, you mostly dodge obstacles or climb boxes, but I enjoyed the change because it gives the doll a more prominent role beyond guiding the story.
Presentation and Audio
BrokenLore: FOLLOW looks great on PS5, and certainly a step up from the previous game, which itself had nice graphics. The creepy childhood home, themed chapter locations, long spooky corridors, and changing rooms all create a personal horror style that makes you ill at ease.I really liked how the lighting changes your approach and confidence in each room. Dark rooms make you naturally more cautious, but there are sometimes lights you can turn on to make things feel safer. The stalking mother entity also works well since it gives Anne's fear a physical form.
Mini Anne is another strongly designed character. Being a small doll she should be harmless, yet the way she randomly pops up made me suspicious every time she appeared. I still followed her every time, because apparently I like making poor choices in horror games.
The audio design is excellent. The soundtrack uses silence and build-up audio cues to keep you always listening while you search. Voice acting is also great and gives Anne’s story the emotion it needs, especially when the mother-daughter cutscenes take front and centre.
On PS5, performance was solid during my time with the game, with no frame drops or graphical glitches worth noting. All in all, the presentation sells Anne’s nightmare through strong lighting, unsettling spaces, excellent audio, and a smooth experience.
The Verdict
BrokenLore: FOLLOW is a fantastic PS5 psychological horror follow-up that elevates Anne’s story and makes you genuinely care about her grief and suffering. I loved the personal narrative, clever puzzles, constant tension, and excellent audio design. For gamers who enjoy story-first horror with real emotional meaning, FOLLOW is another great entry in the BrokenLore universe.Final Score: 7.5/10 - Good
BrokenLore FOLLOW details
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PCDeveloper: Serafini Productions
Publisher: Serafini Productions, Soft Source
Genre: Horror
Modes: Single-player