This review contains spoilers
Game start strongly with an interestingly unique gameplay mechanic where the main character is asked to retrace his steps from memory, and is able to change what happens in the past in order to get out from sticky situation in the present (think: i am being held at gun point, find a past where the guard doesn't have a gun so you can escape). The characters are likeable and the story starts very interestingly. I'm a sucker for stories where the player is canonically part of it in some way or another.
This would have been a clear 10/10 for me if the game actually stuck with this format. Unfortunately the more the games goes on, the less interesting the puzzlers ares. Instead of being asked question about what happened, you are the one tasked to ask people about their past despite you never being in their memory in the first place, and instead of solving intricate riddles by trial and error it boils down to "press orange switch in top left corner of the room, gate at bottom right opens". Not much happens in term of changing the past anymore. Game is very dull after the halfway point.
Story-wise it also dropped the ball. I feel like it setup some interesting points about morality and perspective. Got some strong umineko vibes especially with the whole spiel of "children are more susceptible to be able to use this power" etc etc.... Tons of plot points are left unresolved. I know Dominik said that he hates overexposition (and Andre in Evan's Remains was guilty of that at the end) but this is way too little explainations.
Maybe i'm missing something? Like extra scenes to add context in a second playthrough? Cause i really don't get it. Game definitely needed a little bit more cooking. Woudlnt' mind if all the chapters were as creative and interesting as the first 2.
The game is relatively short, which is usually what I prefer, but I think the game really needs a second playthrough where you can take a different path. The best way to do it would be, with the knowledge of what happens after finishing the game once, you would be able to gather enough to find a second way to go through the recall sections that leads to more elaborations on the lore and the characters, with a different ending at the end. I feel like time travel is the perfect setup to have something like this.
That being said, I hope to see more of that style of game from the dev. I'd love to see a follow up that adresses what felt lacking, because i see a lot of potential.
This would have been a clear 10/10 for me if the game actually stuck with this format. Unfortunately the more the games goes on, the less interesting the puzzlers ares. Instead of being asked question about what happened, you are the one tasked to ask people about their past despite you never being in their memory in the first place, and instead of solving intricate riddles by trial and error it boils down to "press orange switch in top left corner of the room, gate at bottom right opens". Not much happens in term of changing the past anymore. Game is very dull after the halfway point.
Story-wise it also dropped the ball. I feel like it setup some interesting points about morality and perspective. Got some strong umineko vibes especially with the whole spiel of "children are more susceptible to be able to use this power" etc etc.... Tons of plot points are left unresolved. I know Dominik said that he hates overexposition (and Andre in Evan's Remains was guilty of that at the end) but this is way too little explainations.
Maybe i'm missing something? Like extra scenes to add context in a second playthrough? Cause i really don't get it. Game definitely needed a little bit more cooking. Woudlnt' mind if all the chapters were as creative and interesting as the first 2.
The game is relatively short, which is usually what I prefer, but I think the game really needs a second playthrough where you can take a different path. The best way to do it would be, with the knowledge of what happens after finishing the game once, you would be able to gather enough to find a second way to go through the recall sections that leads to more elaborations on the lore and the characters, with a different ending at the end. I feel like time travel is the perfect setup to have something like this.
That being said, I hope to see more of that style of game from the dev. I'd love to see a follow up that adresses what felt lacking, because i see a lot of potential.
BastardJodie
5 months ago