About
an hour long, this didn’t really do it for me, but there are certainly
aspects to enjoy.
The
length is a bit of an issue. It might take you longer, but I reckon
about 90 minutes is the absolute extreme. My hour was increased by an
initial working out of how the game functioned, most notably the
“remember” function. Once that was sorted, it was a gentle walking
experience.
To be
fair, I played to get to the end. You could certainly walk around in the
woods to your heart’s content, looking and listening, taking in the feel
of the woods. You won’t find animals or birds, or anyone else, but you
might decide to linger now and then, as opposed to pushing straight on.
Self
described as puzzle free, it really is a walking story. You might be
held up for a short while finding the keys to open doors, or the item to
trigger the narrative progression (predominantly inside the remember
function), but not for long. It’s a guided story, where the story is the
thing.
The
telling of which was well done. The voice acting was excellent, and
there are three threads that intertwine to create the tale. Explore the
woods to generate those threads, and uncover the dark secrets beneath
the trees.
While
you will find and read some things, the tale unfolds through voiceovers,
each thread told by a different character. It ebbs and flows, cutting in
and out as you move through the woods.
As
indicated, the “remember” function was a tad confusing at the start,
primarily because of a lack of information. It’s a critical function,
allowing you to see items you need to interact with in order to
progress. It’s a bit like night vision, operating for a limited period
of time before resuming the “real” world view. The game will tell you
when to use it, and so whilst you can activate it at other times, there
is no need to walk around wondering what you might be missing. Just
activate when advised.
That
hand holding happens at other times. You will be told when there is a
new path open to you, which will be a way forward that was previously
barred. Its another aspect of the tale being the thing.
Played
in the first person, you use the WASD keys to move, and the mouse to
explore the world. While you can examine a variety of items, and some
seem to be triggers, there is very little you will take with you. By and
large those things will be keys, and having them will enable you to
unlock the relevant door. There is no inventory management whatsoever.
The
game autosaves, but you can save anytime you like. Just click in the
main menu to resume the most recent save.
It
looks good and sounds good. The woods can be a little static, but there
is enough motion to create a sense of reality. The lighting effects
help, as does the ambient sound. Not everything is musically accompanied
(which I liked) but when used it is effective.
You
will access other worlds or realms, memories perhaps, that can be rather
surreal. Paths might hang in a red sky, pieces floating around you, as
you pick your way forward. Enter a door, come out somewhere or somewhen
else. Wherever you go, you will always come back to the woods. All the
while the tale unfolds.
You
can’t run, accentuating the game’s measured pace. Tweak some settings
should you want to.
A
choice awaits you at the end. I will let you discover that aspect for
yourself.
I played on:
OS: Windows 10, 64 Bit
Processor: Intel i7-9700K 3.7GHz
RAM: Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB DDR4 32GB
Video card: AMD Radeon RX 580 8192MB
GameBoomers Review Guidelines
March 2021
design copyright© 2021
GameBoomers
Group
