El Paso Elsewhere takes elements usually found in walking simulators, and mixes them into a short but satisfying Max Payne-esque third person shooter. It's one of those kinds of games that if you vibe with every part of it, it'll feel like one of the best games ever- but if you're not keen on any singular part it won't feel as good.
The shooting mechanics are solid, but don't push any boundaries. The slow-mo, dodge roll, and dives are fun to play with, but ultimately it was easier for me to blast them away with the shotgun up close, or hose them with the repeater rather than engaging in close combat acrobatics.
The level design is equally serviceable, feeling more like a chaotic funhouse maze than an explorable environment. There are a couple of large setpieces that help break up the monotony from time to time, but they were few and far between. It fit the story quite well, as you’re trapped in a twisted liminal space conjured from the antagonist’s tormented past, and the repetition was an intentional game design choice to highlight James’s struggle against the void. Making the level design more ‘fun’ would have created a disconnect between what the player is feeling and what James was. El Paso, Elsewhere is meant to be a struggle, and while that limits its replayability and fun factor for people who don’t vibe with the plot, it made everything feel far more interesting for me. It’s also fairly short, so the drudgery never became a true negative.
The collectables were a neat highlight, but few and far between. The projectors were a neat window into James & Janet’s deteriorating relationship, but the radios and their hilarious non sequitur pill cop episodes or one-off jokes provided small bouts of levity that inspired me to actively seek out on every level. Unfortunately, some are pretty hard to find, so I didn’t get them all.
Visually, El Paso, Elsewhere belongs roughly 18 years in the past, with low-poly models, visibly pixelated textures, and modernized lighting that creates a very brooding, liminal aesthetic that feels both unique and nostalgic. There’s a very distinct visual style and intentionality to how El Paso, Elsewhere looks that I think helps set it apart dramatically in a market that went past oversaturation years ago. Some people might dismiss it for looking archaic, but I personally love how it looks.
The OST is in two parts- the background music which is solid score with a surprisingly number of tracks. I’m not kidding, there are more songs than levels to the game- and while a lot are pretty short, the sheer variety present really helps break up the intentional monotony of the core gameplay loop without undercutting the immersion.
The second part are 11 tracks of experimental rap songs that kick in during pivotal moments of the game. As someone who rarely listens to rap/hip hop, I found myself rather drawn to each song as they played, as they’re quite catchy and due to their tailor-made nature fit the gameplay of each moment perfectly.
The story is where El Paso, Elsewhere really shines through however, told through a series of skits and monologues during gameplay and between levels, where James reflects on his life while traveling through the void on an old hotel elevator. They’re very raw, emotionally, and I could not help but be sucked into James’s mixture of self-depricating humor, genuine regret at a life lived poorly, his enduring love for Janet, his rising resentment towards the void and its denizens, and his compelling acceptance in the face of his looming death.
I didn’t expect to empathize with James as much as I did, and now that I’m finished I feel an odd sense of relief and loss. On reflection, I think it’s because most protagonists tend to be blank slates and everyman type characters, so having a game where you play as a distinct and distinctly broken person felt like an incredible breath of fresh air for me.
Ultimately, the El Paso, Elsewhere wasn’t particularly deep, nor did it go particularly far, and it didn’t need to. Instead, it delivers one of the most emotionally immersive experiences I’ve ever seen in a game. On a pure gameplay level, it loses its novelty after the first hour or so and drags on for another six, but every other core element of the game carries it hard for the rest of the duration. It’s an art house film in gaming form, with all the benefits and handicaps that brings, and even though I only finished it a few hours ago I’m already craving more- both of games of a similar caliber, but also from Strange Scaffold as well.
The shooting mechanics are solid, but don't push any boundaries. The slow-mo, dodge roll, and dives are fun to play with, but ultimately it was easier for me to blast them away with the shotgun up close, or hose them with the repeater rather than engaging in close combat acrobatics.
The level design is equally serviceable, feeling more like a chaotic funhouse maze than an explorable environment. There are a couple of large setpieces that help break up the monotony from time to time, but they were few and far between. It fit the story quite well, as you’re trapped in a twisted liminal space conjured from the antagonist’s tormented past, and the repetition was an intentional game design choice to highlight James’s struggle against the void. Making the level design more ‘fun’ would have created a disconnect between what the player is feeling and what James was. El Paso, Elsewhere is meant to be a struggle, and while that limits its replayability and fun factor for people who don’t vibe with the plot, it made everything feel far more interesting for me. It’s also fairly short, so the drudgery never became a true negative.
The collectables were a neat highlight, but few and far between. The projectors were a neat window into James & Janet’s deteriorating relationship, but the radios and their hilarious non sequitur pill cop episodes or one-off jokes provided small bouts of levity that inspired me to actively seek out on every level. Unfortunately, some are pretty hard to find, so I didn’t get them all.
Visually, El Paso, Elsewhere belongs roughly 18 years in the past, with low-poly models, visibly pixelated textures, and modernized lighting that creates a very brooding, liminal aesthetic that feels both unique and nostalgic. There’s a very distinct visual style and intentionality to how El Paso, Elsewhere looks that I think helps set it apart dramatically in a market that went past oversaturation years ago. Some people might dismiss it for looking archaic, but I personally love how it looks.
The OST is in two parts- the background music which is solid score with a surprisingly number of tracks. I’m not kidding, there are more songs than levels to the game- and while a lot are pretty short, the sheer variety present really helps break up the intentional monotony of the core gameplay loop without undercutting the immersion.
The second part are 11 tracks of experimental rap songs that kick in during pivotal moments of the game. As someone who rarely listens to rap/hip hop, I found myself rather drawn to each song as they played, as they’re quite catchy and due to their tailor-made nature fit the gameplay of each moment perfectly.
The story is where El Paso, Elsewhere really shines through however, told through a series of skits and monologues during gameplay and between levels, where James reflects on his life while traveling through the void on an old hotel elevator. They’re very raw, emotionally, and I could not help but be sucked into James’s mixture of self-depricating humor, genuine regret at a life lived poorly, his enduring love for Janet, his rising resentment towards the void and its denizens, and his compelling acceptance in the face of his looming death.
I didn’t expect to empathize with James as much as I did, and now that I’m finished I feel an odd sense of relief and loss. On reflection, I think it’s because most protagonists tend to be blank slates and everyman type characters, so having a game where you play as a distinct and distinctly broken person felt like an incredible breath of fresh air for me.
Ultimately, the El Paso, Elsewhere wasn’t particularly deep, nor did it go particularly far, and it didn’t need to. Instead, it delivers one of the most emotionally immersive experiences I’ve ever seen in a game. On a pure gameplay level, it loses its novelty after the first hour or so and drags on for another six, but every other core element of the game carries it hard for the rest of the duration. It’s an art house film in gaming form, with all the benefits and handicaps that brings, and even though I only finished it a few hours ago I’m already craving more- both of games of a similar caliber, but also from Strange Scaffold as well.