| Vanishing of Ethan Carter, The | The Astronauts / Nordic Games Publishing | 2014 | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
This is a first-person story-driven mystery game that focuses entirely on exploration and discovery. It contains no combat or explosions of any kind. You play the game as Paul Prospero, an occult-minded detective who receives a disturbing letter from Ethan Carter. Realizing the boy is in grave danger, Paul arrives at Ethan's home of Red Creek Valley, where things turn out to be even worse than he imagined. Ethan has vanished in the wake of a brutal murder, which Paul quickly discerns might not be the only local murder worth looking into. Inspired by the weird fiction (and other tales of the macabre) from the early twentieth century, it aims to significantly evolve immersive storytelling in games. While it features a private detective and quite a few mental challenges, it's not an especially puzzle-ridden game. The focus is on atmosphere, mood, and the essential humanity of our characters. Still, the discoveries won't happen on their own, or without your help. Using both Paul's supernatural skill of being able to communicate with the dead, and your own powers of observation, you will discover the mystery behind a trail of corpses, the roots of a dark ancient force lurking in Red Creek Valley, and the fate of a missing boy. Explore and interact with the beautiful yet ominous world of Red Creek Valley, which was created with the use of revolutionary photogrammetry technology that allows for nearly photorealistic environments. Communicate with the dead and see how they died in order to gather clues that help you piece together the truth behind Ethan’s disappearance - and the fate of his family. Experience, in non-linear fashion, a story that combines the pleasures of pulp, private eye, and horror fiction, all of it inspired by writers such as Raymond Chandler, Algernon Blackwood, Stefan Grabinski, and H. P. Lovecraft. Conduct the investigation on your own terms and at your own pace. Although there are a few scary bits in the game, players will have no need for sedatives. The game is less about terror and more about clammy unease. In Sep/2015, a free update Redux Edition was released which completely rebuilt the game in Unreal Engine 4. The save system has been modified to save the world state at any point, rather than only areas that have been fully solved, and transitioning between areas will happen almost seamlessly. Resolution can now be scaled as well. In Mar/2016, a VR DLC was offered to experience the beauty and the atmosphere of the game in Virtual Reality (Oculus Rift or HTC Vive). Play in Normal Mode (full freedom of movement) or Comfort Mode is you feel any discomfort (this mode is also recommended for beginner players). | ||
|
1 2 3 |
|
||
