The Town of Light

{{Infobox video game

| title = The Town of Light

| image = The Town of Light cover art.jpg

| developer = LKA

| platforms = Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

| released = {{Unbulleted list|PC|February 26, 2016|PS4, Xbox One|June 6, 2017{{cite web|url=http://www.thumbculture.co.uk/the-town-of-light-release-date-issued|title=The Town of Light – Release Date Issued|publisher=Thumb Culture|date=May 6, 2017|access-date=May 14, 2017|archive-date=July 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727103234/http://www.thumbculture.co.uk/the-town-of-light-release-date-issued|url-status=live}}|Nintendo Switch|February 7, 2020}}

| genre = Adventure

| modes = Single-player

}}

The Town of Light is a psychological horror adventure game developed by LKA and published by Wired Productions. It was released for PC on February 26, 2016,{{cite web|url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2015/10/29/psychological-thriller-town-of-light-release-date-confirmed|title=Psychological Thriller Town of Light Release Date Confirmed|publisher=IGN|date=October 29, 2015|access-date=May 14, 2017|archive-date=July 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727130129/http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/10/29/psychological-thriller-town-of-light-release-date-confirmed|url-status=live}} PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on June 6, 2017,{{cite web|url=http://uk.ign.com/games/the-town-of-light/pc-20039631|title=The Town of Light Preview|publisher=IGN|date=May 6, 2017|access-date=May 14, 2017|archive-date=July 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727131242/http://www.ign.com/games/the-town-of-light|url-status=live}} and Nintendo Switch on February 7, 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/the-town-of-light-deluxe-edition-switch/ |title=The Town of Light: Deluxe Edition for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Official Site }}

Plot

The game is set in a hospital in Tuscany, Italy called the Ospedale Psichiatrico di Volterra.{{cite web|url=http://www.denofgeek.com/uk/games/the-town-of-light/48827/the-town-of-light-a-unique-psychological-horror-videogame|title=The Town Of Light: a unique psychological horror videogame|date=April 21, 2017|publisher=|access-date=October 20, 2018|archive-date=October 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010095835/http://www.denofgeek.com/uk/games/the-town-of-light/48827/the-town-of-light-a-unique-psychological-horror-videogame|url-status=live}} The player character is a girl named Renée, who was a patient at the hospital in the 1940s.{{cite news | url=https://www.eurogamer.net/the-town-of-light-is-a-first-person-asylum-game-without-jump-scares | title=The Town of Light is a first-person asylum game without jump scares | newspaper=Eurogamer.net | date=July 22, 2015 }} The game begins as Renée enters the now dilapidated asylum to relive her stay there.{{cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-town-of-light-review/1900-6416698/|title=The Town Of Light Review|first=Blake|last=Hester|date=June 7, 2017|publisher=|access-date=October 20, 2018|archive-date=October 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008082152/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-town-of-light-review/1900-6416698/|url-status=live}} As the game progresses, it becomes known that Renée was admitted due to promiscuity, depression, and a volatile relationship with her mother. Renée found comfort in her doll, Charlotte.

Renée walks the corridors of the derelict asylum, which triggers flashbacks of both her inpatient stay and circumstances prior. It made abundantly clear that Renée was a victim of sexual abuse{{cite web|url=https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/7x9py9/the-town-of-light-leverages-reality-to-portray-survival-horror|title='The Town of Light' Leverages Reality to Portray Survival Horror|date=July 4, 2017|publisher=|access-date=October 20, 2018|archive-date=April 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190408213802/https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/7x9py9/the-town-of-light-leverages-reality-to-portray-survival-horror|url-status=live}} within the asylum, perpetrated by a male nurse or doctor. Renée discovers Amara, another patient, and a romance ensues. When the nurses discovered this relationship, they were separated.

Renée finds her old medical files,{{cite news | url=https://www.eurogamer.net/the-town-of-light-is-a-first-person-asylum-game-without-jump-scares | title=The Town of Light is a first-person asylum game without jump scares | newspaper=Eurogamer.net | date=July 22, 2015 }} which imply that Amara did not exist and that they are figments of her imagination. After a thorough investigation in the patient property section, Renée finds Amara's possessions, thus proving her existence and that the medical team falsified some aspects of her mental illness.

A note found by Renée reads that Amara died in 1942. Medical notes found whilst searching the facility imply that Renée was verbally and physically aggressive and often spent time tied to her bed. Renée receives electroconvulsive therapy and multiple sedative injections to ease behavioural symptoms.

Renée discovers that correspondence from her mother does not reach her, and this is also discovered in the patient property section.

After several years of communication censoring by hospital staff, Renée discovers that her mother died and tried to take her own life on multiple occasions. Following this, the game's conclusion shows Renée receiving lobotomy surgery. The story ends with a doctor narrating that the long term recovery for Renée post surgery is unclear.{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/03/the-town-of-light-review-a-grim-and-unblinking-psychological-horror/|title=The Town of Light review: A grim and unblinking psychological horror|website=Ars Technica|date=March 7, 2016|access-date=May 13, 2017|archive-date=June 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616152803/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/03/the-town-of-light-review-a-grim-and-unblinking-psychological-horror/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-07-22-the-town-of-light-is-a-first-person-asylum-game-without-jump-scares|title=The Town of Light is a first-person asylum game without jump scares|website=Eurogamer|date=July 22, 2015|access-date=May 13, 2017|archive-date=June 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616153214/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-07-22-the-town-of-light-is-a-first-person-asylum-game-without-jump-scares|url-status=live}}

Reception

On Metacritic, the game has a weighted average score of 64 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-town-of-light/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|title=The Town of Light for PC Reviews - Metacritic|website=Metacritic|access-date=May 13, 2017}}

A three-part series for PC Gamer explains how Lorenzo Conticelli designed the asylum setting for the game.{{cite web|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/the-town-of-light-talks-atmosphere-environments-and-handling-mental-health-with-sensitivity/|title=The Town of Light talks atmosphere, environments and handling mental health with sensitivity|website=PC Gamer|date=April 24, 2017|publisher=|access-date=July 12, 2017|author1=Joe Donnelly|archive-date=December 31, 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20241231175250/https://www.pcgamer.com/the-town-of-light-talks-atmosphere-environments-and-handling-mental-health-with-sensitivity/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/the-town-of-light-on-researching-its-sensitive-themes-and-volterra-asylum-setting/|title=The Town of Light on researching its sensitive themes and Volterra asylum setting|website=PC Gamer|date=May 2, 2017|publisher=|access-date=July 12, 2017|author1=Joe Donnelly|archive-date=December 31, 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20241231175245/https://www.pcgamer.com/the-town-of-light-on-researching-its-sensitive-themes-and-volterra-asylum-setting/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/the-town-of-light-sidesteps-jump-scares-by-retelling-real-life-events/|title=The Town of Light sidesteps jump scares by retelling real life events|website=PC Gamer|date=May 8, 2017|publisher=|access-date=July 12, 2017|author1=Joe Donnelly|archive-date=December 31, 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20241231175243/https://www.pcgamer.com/the-town-of-light-sidesteps-jump-scares-by-retelling-real-life-events/|url-status=live}}

On February 1, 2018, a Nintendo Switch version was announced.{{cite web|url=https://mynintendonews.com/2018/02/01/the-town-of-light-deluxe-edition-coming-to-nintendo-switch-this-spring/ |title=The Town of Light: Deluxe Edition Coming to Nintendo Switch This Spring |date=February 2018 }} This version was released on February 7, 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/the-town-of-light-deluxe-edition-switch/ |title=The Town of Light: Deluxe Edition for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Official Site }}

{{Video game reviews

| MC = PC: 64/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-town-of-light/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=The Town of Light for PC Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=September 23, 2021}}
PS4: 67/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-town-of-light/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4 |title=The Town of Light for PlayStation 4 Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=September 23, 2021}}
XONE: 60/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-town-of-light/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-one |title=The Town of Light for Xbox One Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=September 23, 2021}}

| GSpot = 4/10{{cite web |last1=Hester |first1=Blake |title=The Town of Light Review |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-town-of-light-review/1900-6416698/ |website=GameSpot |date=June 7, 2017 |access-date=September 24, 2021 |archive-date=October 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008082152/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-town-of-light-review/1900-6416698/ |url-status=live }}

| PSQ = {{Rating|6|10}}{{cite web |title=Town of Light Review (PS4) {{!}} Aces high |url=https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps4/the_town_of_light |website=Push Square |date=June 6, 2017 |access-date=September 24, 2021 |archive-date=February 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227205849/https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps4/the_town_of_light |url-status=live }}

| EuroG = Recommended{{cite web |title=Town of Light review {{!}} Aces high |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-02-29-town-of-light-review |website=Eurogamer |date=February 29, 2016 |access-date=September 23, 2021 |archive-date=March 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220310021557/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-02-29-town-of-light-review |url-status=live }}

| PCGUS = 65/100{{cite web |last1=Evans-Thirlwell |first1=Edwin |title=Town of Light review |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/town-of-light-review/ |website=PC Gamer |date=February 25, 2016 |access-date=September 23, 2021 |archive-date=September 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924040940/https://www.pcgamer.com/town-of-light-review/ |url-status=live }}

| Destruct = 6.5/10{{cite web |last1=Cooke |first1=Caitlin |title=Review: The Town of Light |url=https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-the-town-of-light/ |website=Destructoid |date=May 31, 2016 |access-date=September 24, 2021 |archive-date=September 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924040955/https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-the-town-of-light/ |url-status=live }}

| VG = 5/10{{cite web |last1=Bell |first1=Alice |title=The Town of Light review |url=https://www.videogamer.com/reviews/the-town-of-light-review/ |website=VideoGamer.com |date=June 9, 2017 |access-date=September 24, 2021 |archive-date=December 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211218112125/https://www.videogamer.com/reviews/the-town-of-light-review/ |url-status=live }}

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