Recent reviews by UNIK

Given that this game does not appeal to most people, and as such, it may get an unfair and perhaps wrong perspective and opinion in general, I wrote this review in hopes it gives a good idea on whether it is for you or not.

Summary (not story-specific)

In a few words, before more details further below, I would say that this game is in a way, a film about life, but one where we get to be part of and interact with, rather than just watch.

I personally enjoyed the game. Not impressed by it, yet not disappointed at all, and I can say I am glad I played it, but don't go by just this statement, as that is only a personal opinion. Instead, in the following paragraphs, I aim to review it from an impartial point of view that may serve anyone to decide if it is for you or not.

It is definitely a very different game than we are used to play –one that most people will find not worth it in general, due to the "gameplay" being not only very different to most games, but one that falls in a smaller group of people's taste. That, however, does not mean it is not a good game. Clearly, it is not a game for everyone (none is anyways, but this one appeals to a smaller amount of people than most others), and that is where things go wrong –when someone chooses to buy it/play it not knowing if it is the type of game that person would enjoy. Regardless of how well done it may be, some people would hate it and consider it a total waste of time and money. However, some others, may find it to be a great experience —the fact being that one's personality will determine a lot on that factor.

But what is it about?

Let's not spoil the game. Not here, but know that it's more of an interactive experience than a "game" —a story you get to be part of (though by definition it is clearly a game). People should not let that, however, steer one in the direction of not liking it, as this kind of "experience" is the type we see in many movies and films, which can be very enjoyable —but this time, with this game, we get to be part of that, even having the average length of a long movie or film. In that analogy, this game is more of the emotional type (though with some mystery added to it), with a message about life; one that may be classified as "Drama", although with some differences at the same time.

Should you buy it? That depends only on you:

The best bet for anyone looking to buy it/play it, is to first understand well what it is about (without reading spoilers), the genre, the type of gameplay involved; to know that it is slow-paced and about exploration, and that it needs patience; and then ask oneself if that is something one likes or can take. In general, if you like games in the "Adventure" genre, like to explore and enjoy mystery, you may like it. If you are only into action and fast-paced games, this is not for you (some people, like me, are into both -I base games on many other factors).

Is it worth it? Again, that depends only on you -what you look for in a game:

I picked it up on a sale, and do not regret it, even when it only gave me roughly 3.5 hours of gameplay (and that was by taking my time, on purpose, and exploring every single corner, drawer & cabinet, and picking up and rotating every single item -extreme "looting"). Otherwise, the game can be easily done in 1 hour (or less), while between 2 hours would still be normal if not rushing it. I will say though, that if the game had been longer, that would have easily "taken away" from the game, as this type of gameplay is not one that can easily be handled by most people for many hours without becoming boring and giving a desperate feeling and wanting for it to come to an end (I was at that borderline past a couple of hours, and was happy to see it end when it finally concluded, however, not at all disappointed when it finally did -same type of feeling as with some movies).

While we all would like more gameplay hours on games, I see too much of that being used as a base for determining so much of how good a game is, when the truth is that more is not always better, and that quality matters. The same applies to a movie: ask yourself what is your favorite movie. Then, try to imagine if that movie's plot had been dragged and extended for hours, and had been made a 20-hour long movie.

It can be agreed that this game's replay value is little to none, as what makes the game interesting is not knowing what has happened until you find out through exploration, learning about it and the mystery behind it as you progress in the game, and finally learning of the conclusion. Once you discovered all this and finished the game, it would make little to no sense to do a second play-through. It also has no achievements, so for "completionists", there is less of a reason to go back to get something you missed. That, however, is not a reason to not play it.

Development and design

Aside from the story and gameplay hours already discussed above, as far as the looks, the graphics are not impressive nor bad at all. I did appreciate the attention to detail and realism they put into small objects that are meant to be picked up and observed. The voice acting is pretty decent, specially for an indie game studio; although voice here is very short and occasional.

Light, indirect spoilers ahead!

What made me enjoy the game more, is the fact that I like survival horror games, mystery and suspense games (among very different types), and while this game is not really any of those, throughout the entire time (more towards the beginning), I was always wondering when and if something bizarre would happen (whether human-created, or paranormal), or when and if I would find that something of the sort had already happened –the mystery thoughout. That added some suspense, though in a relaxed way, as I never felt any threat near.