Adventure Gamers - Forums

All right, done with episode 2, right on schedule.

And… colour me impressed. Episode 1 had its ups and downs, but I really, really liked what they did with episode 2. They trimmed all the filler stuff, all the contrived puzzles, in order to focus squarely on the investigation and cognition elements. That might make the episode a bit “easier”, but, as much as I love good puzzles, I’m never sad to see bad, tedious puzzles get removed in order to make the story stronger.

Speaking of which, immediately having a damsel-in-distress scenario made the plot more gripping (and more personal) than investigating the death of some rando in an alley. The clichés also felt less prevalent, which was good.

All in all, this episode was a very taut, very solid thriller. Thumbs up from me, and I hope they keep it up in the next two episodes.

Best moment: The way the episode started. Shocking and exciting.

Worst moment: Anything involving director McTwat. Ugh. By the way: you have a chair, moron; sit in it. Also, whenever Erica is shocked to discover something that every player had figured out an hour earlier. What?!? Kelsey didn’t abduct Sully?!? And it wasn’t Joey either?!? Who could it possibly be?!? Come on Erica. Use your head.

Best puzzle: The final puzzle. So, so, so good. Also a bit gross.

Worst puzzle: ? Can’t really think of any. I guess I could have done without the Gallagher cameo?

Predictions:
Let’s review my earlier predictions:

Kurufinwe - 27 January 2016 04:45 PM

Episode 2: Against her better judgement, Erica goes back to fucking Sully. An hour later, he either gets horribly murdered or turns out to be a killer. Possibly both!
Episode 3: Halfway through the episode, Erica finds Rose’s disembowelled corpse. Losing her spiritual counsellor sends her into a tailspin. But in the end she pulls through because she’s a strong modern woman. (Cue Scarlett Furies song.)
Episode 4: It was Cordelia all along! Gasp! Who might have thunk??? (This seems so obvious that I’m tempted to bet that the big twist is that she’s actually not the killer.)

I literally laughed out loud when Sully got “peerless, earless and (not so) free” three minutes into the episode. I definitely got one prediction right, but I was pleasantly surprised that it happened so soon rather than as I had envisioned it.

Now, I believe the big Cordelia-is-Dexter reveal won’t wait until episode 4. They pretty much came out with it at the end of episode 2, just in case it wasn’t painfully obvious for everyone already. Beyond that, I don’t know what going to happen next. I still think Rose is going to die at some point, to make Erica feel more isolated.

And that’s it. Very much looking forward to episode 3.

Also guys, hurry up. At this rate, I’ll be the one picking the next challenge—and nobody wants that to happen. (Also I want to discuss the game! I’m tired of monologuing!)

Finally finished Episode 1, that was a lot longer than I thought it was, and also a lot better. AFter the slow first part it got better and most of the investigation puzzle solving was fun

Kurufinwe - 27 January 2016 04:45 PM

Best moment: Searching Longmore’s flat

Agree

Kurufinwe - 27 January 2016 04:45 PM

Worst moment: Stealing flowers from a stranger’s grave to put them on your brother’s grave because you forgot to buy some. I thought causing a car crash in order to procure a lemon in SF: Tunguska was the lowest point of my life as an adventure gamer, but that was even worse. Who does that? Who in their right mind can think that this is a reasonable way to deal with a mild problem??? How many times do you have to have been dropped on your head as a baby to become an AG designer?

I couldn’t believe it actually happened… At least Erica keeps saying it was a fucked thing to do through the rest of the episode

Kurufinwe - 27 January 2016 04:45 PM

Best puzzle: Finding the details for the husband’s memories. Generally, the cognition powers show promise, and I thought that was the best bit, even if the execution was not always perfect.

I liked it but the egg sadwich not working because it was “too much” and the cofee mug were a bit too contrived

Kurufinwe - 27 January 2016 04:45 PM

Worst puzzle: All those contrived, joyless puzzles involving Terrence and Gallagher. I’m trying to catch a killer, not deal with your high school shit.

What annoyed me was mostly the fetching going on, but probably because everything still happens so slow…

On to ep 2

See you later Alligator 

wilco - 30 January 2016 01:21 PM

I liked it but the egg sadwich not working because it was “too much” and the cofee mug were a bit too contrived

After I finished the episode, I checked a guide to see what achievements I’d missed, and it turns out that the exact food you need to get him depends on whether you arrested him or convinced him to come, and whether John or Sully is in the room with you. What the hell??? Of all the points in the game to have alternate puzzles, why this one???

Kurufinwe - 30 January 2016 01:38 PM

wilco - 30 January 2016 01:21 PM

I liked it but the egg sadwich not working because it was “too much” and the cofee mug were a bit too contrived

After I finished the episode, I checked a guide to see what achievements I’d missed, and it turns out that the exact food you need to get him depends on whether you arrested him or convinced him to come, and whether John or Sully is in the room with you. What the hell??? Of all the points in the game to have alternate puzzles, why this one???

Don’t know, maybe to have the least impact possible on the story… By the way, on that interrogation scene, how did you found out about the date on the cellphone memory? I listened that the tape was on 12th December 2008 and googled which day was the Wednesday before. Don’t know if there is a more simple way.

wilco - 30 January 2016 02:00 PM

By the way, on that interrogation scene, how did you found out about the date on the cellphone memory? I listened that the tape was on 12th December 2008 and googled which day was the Wednesday before. Don’t know if there is a more simple way.

Erica’s phone has a calendar…

Kurufinwe - 30 January 2016 02:14 PM

wilco - 30 January 2016 02:00 PM

By the way, on that interrogation scene, how did you found out about the date on the cellphone memory? I listened that the tape was on 12th December 2008 and googled which day was the Wednesday before. Don’t know if there is a more simple way.

Erica’s phone has a calendar…

Ah, didn’t noticed it, must be because the game never lets me to access it and forgot it.

The beginning of episode 2 is surprising. This office will be empty by the last episode

Finished Episode 2. Shorter but less filler so I think it was better. Everything involving the cognition powers was was very good puzzles. It did have a couple of annoying game moments like not being able to open a fuse box because… well it was not time to open it… and not being able to open a vent because a everyday mundane object had to found in a very specific post box.
Dialogue in the game is usually ok but this episode had a very weird one:
- Dad, I just found an eye of the of my partner/boyfriend
- That’s ok, remember when you were hit by a ball in gym class, you are the Brickwall or something like that

Kurufinwe - 29 January 2016 05:58 PM

Now, I believe the big Cordelia-is-Dexter reveal won’t wait until episode 4. They pretty much came out with it at the end of episode 2, just in case it wasn’t painfully obvious for everyone already. Beyond that, I don’t know what going to happen next. I still think Rose is going to die at some point, to make Erica feel more isolated.

I really hope not, I don’t think it can be that predictable. Rose will be the killer!

Erica got a new power in Episode 3:

Hahaha, I had something similar in the same location: Erica’s head kept turning at 360 degrees. Creepy.

Anyway, I’m progressing through episode 3. I really liked it at first, especially the new cognition power, but it’s starting to lag a bit. I feel like I’ve been stuck in the same location for 5 million hours (budget problems?), and the plot has turned from an exciting thriller into a bunch of trust fund kids whining about money, family and whatnot. Also, the cheese and clichés are back in full force, especially in any scene involving spoiled prick Max.

At this point, I hope the pace picks up again soon and we go back to looking for John, to catching Cordelia (sorry, I’m still not feeling sorry for her), and to the Cain killer. (It’s Keith, right? Or possibly Max, after burning his brother’s body to conceal his true identity?)

I’ve finished episode 3. I liked it, the new puzzle mechanics were very good, the episode did took place in the same place the whole time but it did make good use of it and made some sense.
I thought the opening the safe puzzle was excellent. The game does have a lot of very good puzzle mechanics and keeps getting new stuff added that keeps things fresh.
About the story I liked they revealed Cordelia as the Oracle killer right at the start but the final twist was a bit more predictable. I’m curious where they go from here, can be a very strong ending episode.

And done!

Not much to add, since my previous post was actually very close to the end. I thought the episode started off strong (and I liked that it didn’t try to be cute about the identity of the Oracle), but lagged after a while. I really didn’t need a full episode’s worth of origin stories.

OK, and now, time for a rant, because I am livid about the ending. Seriously, how fucking stupid is Erica supposed to be??? At that point, she knows that Keith is half-crazy. She knows he likes building weird contraptions. She’s just seen that HIS TWO SIBLINGS were the Cain Killer’s first victims. So when he comes shambling in COVERED IN BURNS, she immediately puts two and two together and says: “Hey Keith! Why don’t you go with John for tea and crumpets?”

Ugh. If your story requires a normally intelligent character to behave like a moron in order to advance the plot, then your story is bad. Sorry Cognition, you’ve lost my respect.

(By the way, speaking of plot holes: What was that magical evidence that exonerated Cordelia after three years in jail? I mean, she literally did kill her brother, so it’s not like someone could have given her an alibi?)

(And another one: How did John get into the basement? And what did he do there all evening? How did he manage not to stumble upon Cordelia’s note and key—which were literally right under his nose—or, you know, THE GUY COVERED IN BANDAGES?!?)

Kurufinwe - 31 January 2016 12:15 PM

OK, and now, time for a rant, because I am livid about the ending. Seriously, how fucking stupid is Erica supposed to be??? At that point, she knows that Keith is half-crazy. She knows he likes building weird contraptions. She’s just seen that HIS TWO SIBLINGS were the Cain Killer’s first victims. So when he comes shambling in COVERED IN BURNS, she immediately puts two and two together and says: “Hey Keith! Why don’t you go with John for tea and crumpets?”

She didn’t sent him for tea alone, she sent him with the police officer to go to the hospital or be detained for questioning while she explored the rest of the evidences. While it’s dumb she didn’t suspect he is Cain killer I don’t think what she did was totally wrong.
Also think there are more twists to come since there’s still an episode going.

Kurufinwe - 31 January 2016 12:15 PM

(And another one: How did John get into the basement? And what did he do there all evening? How did he manage not to stumble upon Cordelia’s note and key—which were literally right under his nose—or, you know, THE GUY COVERED IN BANDAGES?!?)

This I agree but made me think John might be involved with the killings somehow… Why did he come back?

wilco - 31 January 2016 01:39 PM

She didn’t sent him for tea alone, she sent him with the police officer to go to the hospital or be detained for questioning while she explored the rest of the evidences. While it’s dumb she didn’t suspect he is Cain killer I don’t think what she did was totally wrong.

She spent the past 3 years obsessing about the Cain killer. The burns alone should have triggered a million alarm bells. I mean, she’s probably investigated every single person with burns in the entire Boston area at this point. I can’t buy that she didn’t instantly figure it out. I really can’t.

wilco - 31 January 2016 01:39 PM

Kurufinwe - 31 January 2016 12:15 PM

(And another one: How did John get into the basement? And what did he do there all evening? How did he manage not to stumble upon Cordelia’s note and key—which were literally right under his nose—or, you know, THE GUY COVERED IN BANDAGES?!?)

This I agree but made me think John might be involved with the killings somehow… Why did he come back?

Well, he’s been sharing the main menu picture with Erica and Cordelia for no obvious reason, so maybe you’re right here…

I expected episode 4 to pick up where episode 3 left off, but instead I got a flashback with nothing particularly relevant in it, then another flashback that wasn’t all that interesting either, then some vision that made absolutely no sense, and now Rose is telling me her life story.

What is going on??? Did I play the episodes out of order???