Game started out great. Innovate plot, excellent graphics, and challenging puzzels. But those monsters are unbeatable, they have no descernable patterns as to their movements, and you have to start over if any of them get you. You spend too much time running and not enough solving the puzzles, which is the real appeal for meabout these games.
It's better to spring for a game controller for this even if you use the PC version. The standard keyboard controls are REALLY AWKWARD for certain parts which require speed and precision.
First, the positives. White-knuckled plot, first rate graphics, atmosphere, and audio. A few jumpscares, but doesn't go overboard with those. Some people might consider that last one a negative, but I'm not crazy about jumpscares. I play these games to solve puzzles, find hidden objects, and discover clues to mysteries in a scary setting. For me, that's difficult to do when I always have to worry about being attacked by a demon. Now, for the negatives. First, hidden objects are somewhat redundant. Usually keys or papers. Objects could stand a bit more creativity. Second, certain parts of this game are difficult to operate with a mouse and keyboard alone, even with a gaming mouse. Best to spring for a USB gaming console with a game like this and they're not cheap. That brings me to the biggest negative of all. Certain parts of the game require the hand-eye coordination of a surgeon and fighter pilot all in one. Someone like myself, who has dexterity issues may find these parts unwinnable. I have found ways to make some of them winnable through ingenuity, but I'm thinking specifically of one particular phase where you have to escape a demon by running into a safe area which requires you to crouch down in order to enter. Since you can't run and crouch at the same time (at least I haven't found a way to do that) you have to hold down the W and left-shift keys to run, then when you reach the safe room, you have to quickly remove your finger from the shift key and press the left-ctrl key, all while keeping your finger on the W key. Then, after you enter, assuming you get that far, you have to quickly turn around and shut the door. You have less than a second to crouch, enter, turn, and shut the door. I've checked out several walkthroughs on youtube and from what I've seen, all the players use gaming consoles. That's why I recommend those over the standard mouse/keyboard combo for this game.
This could and would be a great game; very challenging and intriguing. But it has bugs, some of which are serious. Yesterday, I managed to open the main trunk in the library and hit what I thought was a mother lode. But I couldn't collect any of it right then because my inventory was already full. So I had to go back to a safe room to drop some stuff off. When I got back to the library to pick up the stuff in the trunk, I found the game would no longer give me the option. Apparently, it thinks I already picked it up, which I hadn't. I may have to start over again because I'm running low on oil. Once you run out of lamp oil, you're screwed.
