This game is a remake of one of my favorite games of all time, one I still hold up as a nearly perfect. This game does a number of things right, but also makes some odd changes. Pros to me: 1. The atmosphere is absolutely stunning. Bloober team has managed to capture the spirit of the original town. 2. The graphic polish is wonderful. The effects of the glow up are absolutely beyond the pale of what's expected with remakes. The closest I can compare to his glow up is the original Resident Evil when it was remade for the Nintendo Gamecube. 3. Exceptional voice talent. In spite of my love of the original game, I was never convinced of the "talent" of the original voice over work, I know some love it, but it was never something I could get behind. The new actors are able to grasp and perform the emotional complexities of the characters. Now for some cons... 1. Pacing has taken a hit. The original game was a masterwork of pacing. This new retelling moves things around oddly. The opening of the original game is now complete only when you get to Neely's Bar and complete a puzzle there. (To explain this, the original opening ends on a note that is only compelete here about an hour into the game.) Yes, it give the game more length, but, it also makes the pacing feel slower than it really should. 2. A fan theory was given more weight. While I won't say what that theory is in a review as it could affect some players enjoyment. And the neutral. The combat is much smoother, and more fun but now is no longer optional in most situations. Being able to run past monsters is now more difficult in the tighter confines of some spaces. My final answer is this: I recommend this game to horror fans who never played the original, and to people who did play the original, however, I recommend considering how much you want to experience it to decide what the price range you're willing to spend on it. If you're on the fence, wait for a good sale to make sure. Thank you.
A quality game with some exceptional performances (The stand out for me was Cherami Leigh as female V) and some surprisingly high quality scrip writing. The game is fun and solid, and does allow for multiple styles.
