For cosmic horror, a lot of the detective work is satisfyingly mundane, relying on newspapers, cross streets on a map, and down to earth evidence over the puzzle based play of other games in the mystery genre. As Reed, players will collect clues at any given scene, interrogate individuals with needed information, or research events within relevant archives before logging that information in a Casebook alongside information on given side quests and other narrative detours. The first case introduces the player to the primary gameplay loop, private investigator legwork with a supernatural spin. The game, for instance, alludes to the events of Innsmouth and establishes the preexisting city as neighboring Oakmont, situating the game’s events cleanly within a textual context while still paving its own distinct tale. In mere minutes the player is on a case concerning lineage, racial bias, and madness, complete with direct callbacks to the short story “Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family ” and the novella The Shadow Over Innsmouth. The game wastes no time submerging the player in the themes and tropes of Lovecraft. As madness grips its citizens, Reed quickly realizes that the titular city houses a lot more than just the answers he’s looking for. The protagonist, Navy man turned private investigator, Charles Reed, is there in search of answers concerning the nightmares that plague him daily. The title takes place in Oakmont, Massachusetts, a fictional city along the eastern coast separated from the mainland and half-submerged following “The Flood,” a supernatural disaster. These issues aren’t enough to sink the game and in the end, I enjoyed visiting the soggy streets of The Sinking City.
Less seemly are the survival horror elements which are perpetually plagued by clunky combat mechanics, and the tedious world traversal, an initially exciting invitation to explore the world that inevitably overstays its welcome.
Regardless of affinity for elder gods, however, The Sinking City serves up satisfying investigation gameplay, a captivating narrative shrouded in mystery, all swathed in a rich, ambivalent ambiance appropriate for the dark depths of a drowned city. The most directly inspired Lovecraftian based game I’ve ever played, the game beautifully brings to life the central themes and lore of the Cthulhu Mythos with immediate, direct citations to the pulp author’s iconic work. Lovecraft fan, I was pleased to see how lovingly crafted The Sinking City is.
0 kommentar(er)
