While the puzzle design is overall solid and never too annoying or 'moon logic'-esque, the narrative of the game still leaves much to be desired. The plot is interesting, but there are many red herrings. Many plotpoints are unfocused or simply dropped after a while, leaving the overall story conclusion unsatisfactory. The tone has also shifted from the first game. While it works in some places, one of the strongest things the first game had going for it was that small town, Twin Peaks-esque dream atmosphere. This game lacks that charm, making it feel less like it's own unique identity the way the first game did. Lastly, the character of Kathy is improved over the first game, luckily. Although she still quips effortlesslywith her edgy, holier than thou attitude towards the world, she does so less egreciously and way less often. Still, in the end I suppose a certain character growth would have taken place in Kathy, a growth that was sorely needed. Yet, the ending cutscenes betray that I really don't think that is the case. Too bad. Overall, the game is quite enjoyable for what it is. You'll get a sense of accomplishment solving the puzzles as they tick just the right boxes and the game is compentently made and bug-free from what I gathered. Narrative-wise it started out very interesting but ultimately left a lot to be desired. I do hope the studio gets the chance to make a possible third game in the series, as I think they certainly have the talent to do so and to improve.
Skald really nails the retro-inspired RPG fix for both oldschool fans of Ultima, Goldbox etc games as well as fans of newer titles such as Divinity Original Sin, Pathfinder ans Baldur's Gate 3. Writing is top-notch, mood is dark and gloomy, art direction is done extremely well and the soundtrack is fantastic. The gameplay is fun and rewarding; Combat is visceral and so, so satisfying. If there is one point of criticism; it would be that the second half of the game feels a bit more rushed and linear than the first half. No drop in quality of writing or gameplay though. This game is a winner, an instant recommendation for fans of all era'a of cRPGs. Well done!
Very atmospheric and moody adventure game. Never gets too hard or convoluted and, asides some fairly lengthy fetch puzzles, holds a good pace. Recommended. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Super enjoyable nonetheless. I had an amazing time in Night City the first time I played and I'm quickly getting ready to take another route a year later to see what the patches have brought me. Overall I think the bugs were never quite as severe for me on PC, so I never really cared, but it's something to take into considering for CDPR moving forward. I don't think this might become a timeless classic like The Witcher 3, but I'm quite sure it will go down as a great, enjoyable experience, albeit a cautionary tale.
In the recent onslaught of interactive fiction and visual novels, amongst other World of Darkness titels, Heart of the Forest truly is a breath of fresh air. Where the kind of political message of the logging story got kind of too 'in your face' at times, it's kind of what Werewolf was all about really. Most of the writing was good (MOST of it. Things like the oversimplification of the Black Furies tribe was terrible. Although it's better than the Vampire VNs, it still suffers from the same kind of problems. It ends right as it gets really interesting. At 2 hours, this was ridiculously short. It even teases a sequel but it refrains from even getting really off the ground in the first place. Why couldn't the logging story be just Chapter one and the origin story for your character instead of the whole game? This has the potential to be fantastic. It just needs more storylines. It at least seems like it has somewhat of a replayable nature, but how deep that goes I've yet to figure out.
3.5 stars Albeit short, Kathy Rain has all the makings of a fun Point & Click adventure game due to its highly enjoyable art direction, good music and some clever puzzles. However, the difficulty of the puzzles goes up and down dramatically, and the requirements needed to advance are sometimes convoluted. Knowing where to go next is usually pure guesswork instead of logical progression, which is a shame because the backtracking can be very tedious. Kathy is for the most part not that interesting a character. Her alternative, going-against-the-grain, angsty girl schtick can get old quite fast, but that may just be matter of taste. I quite like the whole vibe the game is going for. Small town, strange mystery. It's obviously very 'Twin Peaks' inspired. While I do think some of the plot falls flat, especially concerning some characters, I enjoyed my time with it. Kathy Rain is recommended if you love strange mysteries and adventure games that offer a challenge, but don't resort to 'moon logic' with regards to it's puzzles. Nothing breathtaking here, but I'd definitely be interested in playing a proper sequel.
Firewatch is a very good plunge into an atmospheric forest reserve in the middle of wild Wyoming. You'll get to experience the sights, sounds and wonders of a beautifully crafted world. Sparsed inbetween is a great look into the human mind and what makes someone tick at all. Spoilers: I'm glad that whatever huge thing some players were expecting did not happen. The end result is more real and more dramatic. I really liked that.
The game's premise is an effective one, and during the first three chapters there is this certain atmosphere to be found that can give off quite the unnerving feeling. Unfortunately a series of cheap scares by loud noises and flashy screens and a véry dissappointing and super clichéd resolution to the overall story in chapter 4 just doesn't make this the indie gem that it could've been.
