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I am about 40 minutes in and I am just about fully on board.

I really wasn't sure at first, what with the controls and the camera. The former are still less than ideal but I have settled in and am almost competent at navigating. The latter is helped by knowing what it is you are driving.

Which as Ana said in her announcement is PGEIST, "a remote viewing tool that allows the player to view - and interact - with the full 3d environment where you can examine everything. PGEIST can move through walls and furniture, so you can see things from a different perspective.

Which means you can move outside the physical location and look back through the walls into the space you were occupying, and you can do so with complete freedom (i.e., from the top, the bottom and all sides). It adds another dimension (quite literally) to your exploration as things you might need to find can be stuck behind objects you can't access other than from this external perspective.

Navigation uses a combination of the keyboard (6 movement keys) and the mouse, the latter controlling the camera. What I found works best is to right click and hold, which then allows you to steer with the mouse while using the W key to move forward. You will still need to use some of the other movement keys to get into position but I find that this combination enables me to generally explore the environment (from both inside and out) in the most efficient way.

It may though induce 'seasickness' if that is a thing for you.

The left mouse engages with things, which will be both to collect items and interact with the environment. Puzzling has so far involved finding and utilising items to decrypt messages and restore power. I am exploring a (seemingly) abandoned space station, and it feels like a segmented escape room. I have made it out of the first room, and am now in a junction point with three other exits. Getting them open will be the next thing.

There is a hint system which superimposes a big blue blob on the scene, indicating that what you need to do is in that area. It's fine as far as it goes. There is also a map which I haven't utilised given I haven't gone very far, and an icon that will return me to the entry point of the room, which may or may not prove to be useful.

I am enjoying the challenge, whatever the controls.


It's spring. My life is weeds.