[louiedog]

Originally Posted by inm8#2

The one thing I just can't get a sense of is the gameplay.

Are there puzzles? What kind?

There are some light puzzles. It's mostly about interacting with the immediate environment. You don't have a large inventory full of items.

Do dialogue trees affect story outcomes?

Yes, although it's difficult to say how much. There didn't appear to be a huge impact in this first episode, but some of that stuff is supposed to carry on through the game. There are items that you can give to characters. You choose who and how many of the item and according to people who know the writers, that will make a difference in the next episode. After some dialog choices you'll even see text on the screen explaining that your choice will be remembered and influence the character you're talking to. This notification can be turned off in the options.

How much is action sequences and how much is puzzle solving / exploration?

There aren't that many action sequences. It's mostly about interacting with characters. There isn't a lot of exploration or puzzle solving in the first episode.

Does the game carry you from one scene to the next, or can you travel freely in the game world?

The game takes you from one place to the next. You cannot freely travel the world. The most freedom you have is a few different screens in the same immediate area.

I've read so many reviews, but I have zero sense of what the game is actually like.

Here's a link to 23 minutes of unedited gameplay. It starts about 5-10 minutes into the game. It might give you a better sense of what it's like.