These moments of trial and error only served to irritate. Another room faced me off against a crying ghost when entered, but unless I had the right item to deal with the spirit in my inventory I had no option but to die and restart from a checkpoint. Unless I’d already fiddled with the electric panel that powers the alarm and moved a fuse around, however – something that was totally illogical to do – moving to the alarm would simply trigger a cutscene and my subsequent death.
When running away from a mad, knife wielding woman late in the game, for instance, I had to activate an alarm to put an end to her antics. These are perhaps the highlight of White Day – moments where you feel truly under pressure to perform – they certainly get the blood pumping, anyhow. There’s even some QTEs thrown in for good measure. In these highly dramatic sequences you need to solve puzzles and use your wits to save yourself or others from impending danger. There are even a handful of events, often timed, that could be considered puzzle-based boss fights. As someone that likes a bit of brainteasing in games, this aspect of White Day was endearing to me. From working out codes to open locks, to using dowsing rods to cross a body of water, the puzzles in White Day are rarely straightforward, forcing you to get your thinking cap on. Getting from A to B is never a simple affair you’ve always got to be on the lookout for notes and objects that are crucial to solving the countless conundrums that stand in your way. Trapped in a school out of hours, White Day is one of those horror games where being able to solve puzzles is just as important as being able to cope with a good scare.