Posted: Thu, May 30, 2019
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Visuals |
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Texture ripping potential |
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Storyline |
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Music |
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Controls |
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Replayability |
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I started this game a little while ago, and maybe did an hour or so of the game. The box art, the game itself, the atmosphere radiating from this screamed ‘gritty psychological horror/murder mystery’. I completed the rest of the game on an uneventful Sunday. First off, this is a very short game. Second, this game is batshit insane. It’s fucking nuts, and I’m still trying to figure out if it’s in a good way or not.
I should probably note that this game was released as ‘Indigo Prophecy’ across the pond, which explains a lot goddamn more than ‘Fahrenheit’ does. Spoilers. I think the only real difference between the European and American releases is that the US version cut out the two sex scenes. Yous aren’t missing out on much, really.
Visuals
This game looked pretty good. There’s some nice little details here and there, and Lucas' office looked stunning with the collection of server racks near the back.
Everyone’s apartment was stupidly big. Very square and empty. I’m reminded of when I’d try building a house in the Sims but because I’m dumb as fuck I’d always just build a massive square block the size of the plot and then try and divide it into rooms. I’d be utterly surprised that every room was obscenely big, and there was a good car length between the toilet and the bog roll.
Another high point was a scene in which the police finally discover that Lucas is the Doc’s Diner killer and raid his flat, only to find it covered in blood, wall carvings, and painted symbols from floor to ceiling. It looked pretty sick.
I’m sure that this game also stole a lot of the fighting choreography from the Matrix films, especially the scene where Neo’s fighting Morpheus and flipping and kicking and jumping around and shit. It looks like they just lifted that scene and stuck the character models in their places. It looked awesome though.
Texture ripping potential
Not much more to add here. I’ll probably grab the computer graphics from the office and use them for something.
Storyline
This started off very strong. I thought the concept of simultanously trying to cover your steps as the killer, while also trying to discover that I was at the root of the killings, was mint.
It started losing me once it got way into the supernatural. Possessions from godly beings that have existed for centuries and whatnot. I mean, it was alright? I felt like it could’ve been handled a little better. I think I still have whiplash. I just wanted a gritty, edgy game that took itself way too seriously. I mean, I kind of got that. This game took itself way too seriously for something so nuts.
One of the few news articles you can read on the computers was rather interesting.
A life sentence over a few MP3 files. Please!
I’m trying not to get too far into spoilers, but considering this came out of fucking nowhere, I don’t think it matters. Carla, a cop, turns from well, a cop trying to find and apprehend the killer, to falling in love with the killer. There is no build up to this. It’s just a sudden “I love you, Lucas” before they fuck in an abandoned subway underground in -56°C. Oh yeah, and Lucas is in a Bruno Bucciarati-type ‘living’ situation as well.
The story was interesting though. It wasn’t shite. I had fun playing it even if I was kind of just going along with it by the end. It almost felt rushed… they could have easily made this game another 2 or 3 hours longer and spent some time fleshing things out better. But what do I know? I’m sat on my living room floor bitching about a game that came out like 15 years ago.
Also, fuck Jeffrey. Fuck him and the 200 dollars he took from me.
Sound
I mean… there was music.
Going off the credits, Theory of a Deadman featured heavily on the soundtrack.
Controls
Bog standard. Camera was a bit naff, but otherwise moving around was pretty painless.
Other than walking and swiping the right analog stick to speak / open a door / fuck your ex-girlfriend, the only other thing you do are these stupid as hell QTEs. It’s basically Simon Says but you flick the left/right analog stick depending on which colour is flashing.
The only other input is mashing the L1 and R1 buttons when prompted. That’s it. Zero skill whatsover, and kind of boring. My hands cramped up near the end where you’re just mashing the shoulder buttons for what feels like 5 minutes solid.
A lot of this game feels like you’re just taking a backseat and watching shit happen, occasionally stepping in to do a command prompt or something. David Cage (who wrote the story) said that was the vibe he was going for, so job well done to him I guess.
Replayability
This was a nice way to spent an afternoon, and if I get some free time after clearing my backlog a bit, I might pick it up again and get the other 2 endings. From what I read, the other 2 endings are practically the same save for like, 3 lines of dialog… but I’m still gonna get them.
