Abandon All Hope

**Abandon All Hope** is the fourth level of *Switchback VR*. It is the first level themed around *Little Hope* as part of the "Cursed Forest" levels.

## Before Level

The player is back on the flaming, overturned train and can look around as people scream in the background. Charlotte's voice plays from another voicemail, asking the player to call her and make sure they are safe. The Curator briefly appears, standing slightly closer from the end of the train, before a metal pole slides through a window toward the player. Once again, Belial's whispers can be heard after cutting to black.

## Layout

The player emerges on the track from an empty train station and onto a road, with a nearby police car sounding its siren as the cart passes it. A sign welcomes the player to Little Hope, and Belial's laugh can be heard when an old car suddenly moves close to the player. After going through some fog, the player goes back to the sign again as the track briefly repeats itself. The player can then choose to go left or right on the track, but regardless of the player's choice, it repeats the section of track at the sign two more times. The second time, the cart stops ahead of the old car and puritan mannequins can be seen on the side of the track. Dense fog envelopes the player, and the puritan mannequins start appearing in front of the cart before being pulled back into the fog. They then begin emerging from the fog to attack as a bright light shines in the distance. After killing the mannequins, the cart proceeds. The player goes down a hill and must dodge several falling trees before choosing to go left or right on the track.

* Going left, the player passes a sign pointing to the diner and must dodge a falling telephone pole and tree. Slowly approaching the diner, music can be heard from the building. Suddenly, the cart and music stops as the lights go out while screaming and crashing can be heard within the diner. The player hears the door open and something approaches, with it being revealed to be the Impaled Demon now standing in the track. It quickly backs away into the darkness and roars, then three bats fly toward the player to attack. After killing them, the lights go back on and the cart proceeds, with more bats to be killed along the way.
* Going right, the player rides into the Black Cat Bar, and the cart slowly proceeds through as a music box plays and quiet singing can be heard. The player enters a dark room and is attacked by several bats that push over a shelf. After killing them, the player exits the bar and is attacked by several more outside.

Returning to the main track, the player must kill a mannequin standing in the way and dodge more trees as they go through a dark section of the forest. They reach the road again and hear Belial's laugh as her seal appears on a road sign. The cart stops as the streetlight goes out, and The Curator appears in front of the player before disappearing. Suddenly, a bus comes barreling toward the player, and must be dodged as it skids and tumbles over the player's head, covering the road in sparks. The cart proceeds through a skull gate and into a dark, covered bridge that has hundreds of bats hanging on the ceiling. Numerous bats screech and attack the player as they ride through, and after reaching two Demon Crates, mannequins start emerging to attack instead. The cart speeds up and the mannequins try to hit it as it passes before the player exits the bridge and speeds down a hill and into the playground, passing by the school on the way.

The cart stops as a child's voice can be heard singing "Three Blind Mice." As the playground darkens, Belial appears in front of the player, floating and turning to face them with her head down. As her head raises, she is suddenly yanked back into the darkness, and the cart exits the playground as the player chooses to go left or right on the track.

* Going left requires the player to dodge several trees before entering a village area, and can shoot at some fleeing mannequins as child's laughter is heard. A poppet flies into the player, who is then ambushed by some mannequins, including ones that throw fireballs at the player from a distance that can be destroyed when shot. After killing them, the cart proceeds down a hill.
* Going right brings the player through another snow-covered forest, where scarecrows can be seen hanging from trees. The player reaches some of them hanging in the middle of the track, and they must be dodged. Suddenly, several of the scarecrows jerk downward, and the cart comes to a stop on a narrow bridge. Fireball-throwing mannequins start appearing from the bridge and adjacent docks, ducking behind the barrels and crates. After killing them the player goes through the forest and across another bridge, having to shoot several bats in the process, before going down a steep incline.

Returning to the main track, the player must dodge more falling trees in the forest before fog brings them off the road and into the Clarke Family Home, where a mannequin watches them enter from a window. Classical music plays with repeats from the dining room and the house's furniture moves around, and a mannequin can be seen watching the player from the top of the stairs, from the kitchen, and from the lounge as they ride past the living room and into a hallway that is suddenly covered in blood. The grandfather clock chimes and objects continue to move around and fall as the player goes through the kitchen. Belial's laugh is heard as the player enters lounge and can shoot a Demon Crate. Belial's seal appears on the wall next to two closed doors, which open to reveal the entrance to the house again, but with the house now on fire.

Several mannequins attack as the cart stops in the entrance of the burning building. After killing them, something knocks on the ceiling, and suddenly the Burned Demon's giant head pokes through, only to retreat as the cart starts moving again. The player must kill more mannequins as they continue through the burning house, with Belial laughing and then screaming "DIE!". The player is once again at the entrance of the house, which is no longer on fire but instead heavily charred and with no lights. The Impaled Demon can be heard, and it suddenly runs past the cart as the player exits the home through the back door. The Curator watches the player, standing on the right side behind the street light. The cart goes down an incline in the forest, returns to the main road, and re-enters the empty train station, with a sign showing the player their score and another sign welcoming them to Little Hope, but with "Hope" crossed out and replaced with "Abandon."

## Trivia

* The options on this level's *Journey So Far* screen are:
	+ You saw/didn't see the ghost in the fog
	+ You saw/didn't see the Burned Demon in the painting
	+ You saw/didn't see the bloodstained corridor
	+ The doll started/didn't start the fire

## Gallery

The Curator moves closer to the player.The Curator appears in front of the player before the bus crash.The Curator watches as the player leaves the burning house.