Just finished playing this. I bought this 5 months ago,and shelved it in favor of other activities. Being honest: I wasn't expecting much from it. On the surface, it looked like it might be a second rate Tomb Raider clone with some mental health undertones thrown in. Having just beaten the game, I can say I was egregiously wrong. This game is, quite simply, a phenomenal experience unlike any other. Unwavering in its intensity from start to finish, the game throws you into a world filled with despair and anguish, and challenges you to be good enough to make it through. The storyline is exceptional. The cast is exceptional. The game is exceptional. With that said, the game is not a happy one: trigger warnings for mental illness, body horror, acrophobia, and general intensity. Much of the game's involves the emotional trauma of the main character, and you spend much of the game inside her head, hearing her thoughts, and experiencing her emotional state as if it were your own. This is, again, exceptionally well done...and can be jarring in just how intense it becomes. Gameplay wise, the game is hard: there is very little hand-holding, quite a lot of moderately challenging puzzles, and somewhat unforgiving combat sequences. More than once, I went from leaning back in my chair casually trying to solve a puzzle, to sitting up, aggressively gripping my mouse, and yelling at the screen as I dispatched a group of enemies. The combat system is a little tricky at first, but quickly becomes second nature, and adds an exceptionally fun aspect to what is an otherwise extremely intense game. While not for everyone, I personally loved this game, and consider it easily one of my top favorite games in recent memory. I would wholeheartedly encourage anyone who's looking for an intense, visceral gaming experience, to give this a try.
