Gaming Diary (not journalism, just an opinion. But isn't a review a form of an opinion?): The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (PC) by: Carlos (Charly) Munguia
There are some games out there which come out of nowhere with their story and environment. A game which makes you take a break from other games, if that makes sense. The games that I’m playing right now are practically "high-strung". One such as Blood Born, a game that will practically own you as well as eat your first born child if you lose and Final Fantasy Type-0, with its wonky camera controls with about 16 high school characters that you need to take care and maintain through a hostile environment of constant war and death. Its time for something to come along to break this cycle and that’s when The Vanishing of Ethan Carter came into play.
This game is very story driven with puzzles that don’t really snap your brain, but you do need to rub a few brains cells together in order to survive. You are a Super-natural Detective who takes on a final case from a fan who apparently disappears. This game does not hold your hand when it comes to solving some of its puzzles. I like the small details that you have to do when it involves a crime scene by using your supernatural abilities. The environment and graphics are pure "eye candy" coming from the indie developer Polish studio, The Astronauts. The game has a level of horror that has been pegged as "lovecraftian" (taken after the author H.P. Lovecraft) which is a cosmic or an unknown horror type of experience. This kept me wanting to go even further down the rabbit hole as I was being sucked in by a force that was hidden all around me. I suffered one jump scare which was quite "idiotic" and I down-right deserved it. Curiosity killed the cat, right? Im not saying it's GOTY and please dont buy a PC in order to experience it, hell no. (Plus, its coming to PS4 in September) But its better than a lot of titles out there, "indie-wise". The game is merely 5 to 6 hours with practically no reply value, but to me its worth that one time experience for $9.99. Who would not like gorgeous graphics with an interesting story-line/plot as well as discovering man's greatest fear; The Unknown, at a good price!
If you want a gist on what Lovecraftian is, check out this short 10 min film "ETHEREAL CHRYSALIS" made by a Montreal based filmmaker Syl Disjonk. Its borderline nightmarish and WTF.
