"Overture" is the first game of the "Penumbra" trilogy (leaving the tech demo out of account), which begins the story of Philip, a young man who becomes trapped deep in long-abandoned mines under the snows of Greenland, having attempted to retrace the researches of his father Howard. With nobody being aware of his venture and only strange creatures around, Philip tries to make his way to anything that may seem a salvation.
Penumbra develops quite an imperfect genre of horror games, making use of much more than just "things that jump on you from around the corner". The atmosphere of seclusion, unseen creatures behind locked doors, unknown intentions of your involuntary guide Red with his mad comments (after all, he has been the sole survivor for too long) - this is enough to make you want to cower in a corner, despite you are constantly urged onward therewith. This game scares you indeed: making you afraid of being alone, and at the same time fear that there is someone - or something - else.
Along the way, you have to solve various puzzles. Unlike in traditional adventure games, these are not somebody else's whims, but actions you yourself feel vitally needed, constantly wondering, "How do I get over a high-voltage fence, being chased by an enormous toothy worm?" or "What do I use to make a bridge?" or "How many boxes will it take to reach that ledge?" and so on. Many of these puzzles feature the implemented physics engine, making you deal with speeds and weights, calculating proper amounts and doing things little by little. The opportunities we are granted are indeed rare: how often, for example, do you get to open a door slightly, with a pleasing yet eerie creak?
"Overture" is the only "Penumbra" game which gives you actual weapons to defend yourself with. Those are scarce, to say the least, and are no better than an old pipe or a worn hammer. Moreover, you are actually supposed to swing a weapon before you hit anything - bearing all this in mind, and the fact that Philip is far from being a hero (he will even panic if you make him look at something frightful for some time), you are usually left with no choice but to lurk in shadows and distract the horrors you are facing to make another step forth without being killed. Still, is it not a challenge worth undertaking?
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