Plot
In 1999, two friends use a webcam for the first time and stumble across a mysterious browser game that may be haunted.
Cast
Not familiar with anybody involved.
Verdict
There's no shortage of "Cyber" horror films these days in fact we went through quite the spate of them. A large percentage operated the gimmick of playing out entirely through a characters screen with a series of windows open and of course all the involved characters on webcam. The results, mixed however I always liked the concept and it very often managed to be suitably creepy despite the movies quality.
Deadware is on a considerably lower budget than most of the others and to a point it shows, but with something that's not supposed to look polished it's entirely forgivable and looks exactly as it's supposed to.
Telling a story essentially of a haunted browser game in the 90's it oozes nostalgia for those of the right age who dipped their feet into webcams back in the day. Even the point and click browser game brought back memories.
It delivers the creeps, the perfectly constructed pacing and I found myself gripped. The flaw? The finale though passable was more than a little uninspired and really lets the film down.
Regardless within this sub-genre this is up there among the best in my opinion.
Rants
I miss games like this, slow paced, mysterious, unpredictable and yet having a level of basic construction that keeps you on your toes. Modern horror games are more like action titles or alternatively they're predictable flashlight wielding in the dark jump scare filled predictability. Games in many ways have gotten too advanced, back peddle! And while we're on the subject, enough putting multi-player into everything. I almost miss the days before online multiplayer where you played games on the couch together. Yep, I'm officially old.
Breakdown
Perfect pacing
Great execution
Very nostalgic
Weak finale.
