Happy 21 years, DEMENTO!
In Japan, today marks 21 years since DEMENTO (Haunting Ground) released. Instead of my usual post for today, I would like to dive into my personal feelings about the game, why it's become my favorite survival horror game, and why I made this account to begin with. 🤍
This post is reposted from the DementoReturn Twitter, you can also find this post on Bluesky!
For my backstory with the game, Haunting Ground was a game I was always just vaguely aware of. I knew Fiona's face, I knew Hewie (not by name), and I have some memories of even seeing Daniella a few times throughout my time growing up on the internet and being in horror spaces. The moment that drew me to the game even more was when sometime in 2023 my fiancee and I stumbled across the game in a local store. So we bought it!
(Side note: we got engaged a few weeks after buying it!)
Our set up at the time wasn't ideal to properly play the game, so it ended up being well over a year before I finally got the chance to play it via emulation. My previous computer ran horribly and could barely run DuckStation when I would emulate RE1 or Tomb Raider. So with my current computer, I was finally able to emulate it with the help of one of my best friends who's like a brother to me.
I went and tracked down my screenshots of after I got the emulator set up!
When I played the game, I was at an extremely low point with my mental health. I felt incredibly out of control with every aspect of my life and that I was not in control of anything I would get to do. This made Fiona someone I immediately connected to.
My childhood dog (she's still around!) looks so much like Hewie, so when I was playing through the game I kept getting so emotional 😭 The idea of anything bad happening to him made me so scared especially because I have such a huge soft spot for animals, and have my entire life.
Fiona and Hewie's relationship is one that always breaks my heart when I think about it. Everyone was against them, and without the horrors of the castle, they would've never been able to meet and have such a deep bond.
The atmosphere in the game is genuinely incredible, and the atmosphere both comforts and unsettles me because of the things I know are happening/will happen, but it's comforting because it's my favorite survival horror game!
The lack of control Fiona has, even down to her own autonomy, is a horrifying thing that I resonated with way deeper than I anticipated. The game made me sob several times during my first playthrough, especially one instance where I got killed while being chased by Riccardo.
I cried for Fiona. I cried for Hewie. I cried for Debilitas. I cried for Daniella. I was terrified of Riccardo. I was enraged by Lorenzo.
Debilitas was probably the most innocent stalker, as he just saw Fiona as a doll... But still objectified her like others.
Daniella was a victim who saw Fiona as a source for something she didn't have, and that turned into unyielding hate. She deserved so much better.
I wish Daniella was able to have been spared like Debilitas; that was always part of her boss fight that I never looked forward to on subsequent playthroughs. They both deserved better than what they got.
Riccardo and Lorenzo deserve to rot.
Haunting Ground has been able to make me feel so many things I didn't really think possible especially with how short of a game it is (about 9 hours).
The atmosphere, characters, and world have all made me feel so much. I haven't touched on the music yet...
The ambience tracks in the game are some of my favorites out of any game I've ever played. They're all unnerving in their own ways, but they also still manage to bring some form of comfort because you're not being pursued...
The themes of the stalkers are a huge highlight of the game for me as well, my personal favorite has always been Daniella's.
They all embody aspects of the characters amazingly well as well as, to me, embodying some of the fear Fiona feels for them (primarily with Riccardo's)
Panic mode gives such a good visual and sound of what a panic attack feels like. I've struggled with severe anxiety for most of my life, and I've never felt as if any game prior to playing Haunting Ground truly understood what that kind of panic is like to experience.
Another song I need to mention is Hewie's theme, Precious Hewie.
This is one of the most beautiful songs on the soundtrack, and every time I hear it, it nearly brings me to tears. It's such a calming and grounding song, much like Hewie himself. 🤍
The ending credits song, Endless Zero, has a lot of layers to it. (Had to attach as a video due to 10 audio per post limit)
It's the only song on the soundtrack that really has full lyrics, but not to mention - it has dialogue between Ayla and Ugo, Fiona's parents.
The ending of the song has a rendition of Precious Hewie.
Endless Zero's dialogue between Ugo and Ayla implies that they intended to use Fiona's azoth all along, just like Riccardo and Lorenzo.
So, in the end, the only one who truly loved Fiona as she was, was Hewie.
Fiona lost everyone, but she will always have Hewie. 🥹🤍
After beating Haunting Ground in the span of a day and then proceeding to hyperfixate on it for a while after, I remember getting so so sad at the lack of word on a remaster/remake. I would prefer a remaster (if anyone was at all curious) especially since other CAPCOM games have received ports and remasters of various kinds. I still believe someway, somehow, it's possible. I want nothing more than to see this game come back in some way, even if it's just a remaster.
I've heard that the game was supposed to get a PS3 port in regions outside of Japan, and that it was rated, but just never released. I haven't been able to confirm this myself but it's incredibly sad if true.
I made this account to show my love for the game which is something I've never done for any of my hyperfixations before. I also made this with hope to maybe someday be able to get more eyes on the game to encourage the possibility of a remaster or remake.
Making this account has genuinely changed my life. Haunting Ground has changed me and my life for the better. I love all the friends I've made because of this game and community, you all mean the world to me (you know who you are!!)
Happy 21 years, I hope we'll see you again. 🤍
