Adventure Gamers - Forums

I will play the game this weekend. I understand we must play chapters 1 and 2. Correct?

Jdawg445 - 04 January 2023 03:48 PM

When you get the chance tell me about some of the other choices you made when talking to characters to see if they match mine. I really do have a high suspicion that your choices don’t matter and the narrative plays out the same no matter what. which I think is a deceiving device too many game devs use these days.

I had choices while talking to the pub owner and Tillet (you could accuse them of lying about certain topics or believe them, which I did and just remained friends with them), you could ask the old woman about the vicar’s illness (which I didn’t since he asked me not to) and answer his Shakespearean quiz (I gave all correct answers and he just admired my knowledge), and I also had a drink on every occasion — on my own, with the postman several times, with the grumpy old man, with Tillet at the end…

In fact I spent half of the day drinking in the bar, expecting Thomasina to start acting awkwardly. She said early on that maybe she needed a clear head, but I didn’t notice any changes in her behaviour (not counting the long drinking night). Some strong health she has) It would be a shame if all those choices are there just for the sake of different lines. In RPGs telling truth or lie often has a direct impact on quests, or at least your character (skills, reputation, etc.). One would naturally expect the same from adventures, especially since they generally have little replayability.

Karlok - 05 January 2023 06:55 AM

I didn’t recognize any other names, but maybe someone else will spot more tributes to other games?

I’m pretty sure the protagonist herself (Thomasina Bateman) is a tribute to the certain Thomas Bateman, an English antiquary and barrow-digger. There was also a very obvious reference to Romeo and Juliet (also mentioned on one of the plaques), and the angry goat at Briden’s place seems to be a Broken Sword reference?

I enjoyed this second-“first” chapter (btw some might get confused since the game names its chapters as “The First Day”, “The Second Day”, etc., but this count starts AFTER the intro). There were basically only three puzzles that could be described as puzzles (getting into the post office, finding the doll and lightning the lamp) and I had little trouble with them. It is always clear where to go and what to do, although exploring the area is pretty fun, and the effort put into the characters is really appreciated, I’m enjoying the writing and voice overs. I also like how you can, for example, get different responses from everyone by showing the silver cross you found in the church, despite you don’t even need to return it to anyone.

There were some other little things that made it a more engrossing experience, like picking up hens and scaring the vicar, or not following the girl right away — when you finally get to her, she will be sitting, waiting for you impatiently. It’s weird how, at the same time, the developer relies on fading screens so much instead of animating objects or people entering doors, like Jdawg445 mentioned in his playthrough. Oh, and I had my first shock: I domesticated a worm, gave it a name, enjoyed its company, and in the morning I found him dead! Now that was cruel.

And, of course, visions/flashbacks, although I’m not a big fan of those in my games. I think visions are just overused in modern media, as well as flashbacks which usually take me away from the experience instead. I’d rather learn about father/daughter relationships through the protagonist’s commentaries, or a diary, maybe a dream. Although it seems like dreams in this games are reserved for something else

Thanks to sylv for leading this. I’m a lightweight when it comes to horror so I’m more than happy to follow along as an observer.

Just viewing the trailer gave me chills. The setup reminds me of Anchorhead, though I’m sure the differences will become evident soon enough.

Jdawg445 - 05 January 2023 10:43 PM

Flashbacks happen often and became grating to me, bc i did not like the voice actors for the kids at all, and they repeat the same basic ideas over and over. And yes be prepared to see a lot of fade to black. The puzzles are never hard, but they do add more puzzles each day. Only the last day slowed me down at all, and that was barely.

One thing i do love is that the npcs move around like they would in a real town, and by the end of the game you will have a strong sense of geography of where everybody lives.

Yes, I see what you mean having played a bit further. There are more flashbacks and they constantly interrupt the gameplay without adding much, being barely interactive cutscenes that take you back to the same 2 locations again and again. Not a good design decision imo. But I’m enjoying the game, even though by now I wish there were more puzzles — I noticed some lost opportunities here and there while exploring the world of Hob’s, but I will talk about them later. Strong characters is exactly what makes everything work, I’m having a good time with them.

I enjoyed the first chapter a lot. It was a nice surprise that you can talk to so many different people with nice accents. But after a while I got a little bored of hearing the same answers to Thomasina’s repeated questions about Hob’s Barrow: don’t know, none of your business. And weird that Leonard Shoulder’s address is such a mystery. In a village everybody is supposed to know everything about everybody.

Match: I wasted my one match in the hole, which was fortunately not a problem, the lantern got lit all by itself. I don’t understand why I still had the match anyway. I must have lit the candle with it before going to bed.

Father: He had an accident when she was a little girl. Can’t speak or move. I doubt it’s really possible for someone to stay in a coma for so many years in that day and age.

Totally irrelevant, trivial question: What is that unclickable grey thing on top of the wardrobe in Thomasina’s bedroom? It bothers me that I have no idea what it might be.

Looking forward to the next chapter.

It must be a supplementary blanket for really cold nights.

I am in the middle of “Adventus”, so I will be finishing it tonight.

walas74 - 08 January 2023 01:09 PM

It must be a supplementary blanket for really cold nights.

Really? Well, us Dutchies have our faults, but we would never put bedlinen, blankets, pillows, duvets on top of a wardrobe where they will gather dust.

Karlok - 08 January 2023 08:13 PM

walas74 - 08 January 2023 01:09 PM

It must be a supplementary blanket for really cold nights.

Really? Well, us Dutchies have our faults, but we would never put bedlinen, blankets, pillows, duvets on top of a wardrobe where they will gather dust.

It is Bewley