This month’s choice is a game that pleasantly surprised me.
I had randomly come across it in a humble bundle purchase and thought I would give it a shot.
To be clear, even though this game was released about 2 years ago I had never heard a peep about it and so went into it blindly not really knowing what to expect except the base concept of the game.
You play as a man known as Ronan, a detective for the Salem Police Department (SPD) in Salem, MA. Yes, this is the same town infamous for its witch trials back in the 1690s and this game plays heavily into that history. Ronan is pursuing a suspect known only as the Bell Killer (because of the bell shaped emblem he etches into each of his victims), and is killed by the Bell Killer in a tousle at the beginning of the game. You then spend the rest of the game hunting your killer through various means of influence.
I have to admit that when I first read the description of the game I didn’t think I would care for it very much. While I love mysteries and exploring the unknown, I don’t typically care for things closer to the horror scale. This game though surprised me with it’s pull to empathy. There were several moments when I wanted to do everything I could to help another person because of what they were going through.
There were also moments where my heart would race as I tried to avoid annihilation as well.
And of course there were moments when the plot unveiled just a little bit more and I would be filled with shock, anger, and awe.
Square Enix did a really good job pulling a variety of emotional responses, and I found myself not wanting to stop playing because of how invested I had become in the characters and the story they were weaving. Just like I get with good books.
Now that I have finished the game, I can say that I would recommend others to give this game a chance if they have not already. Despite it’s mediocre reviews on places like Gamespot and IGN, I do think this is ultimately a good game.
If story is something you look for in gameplay, then this game will definitely be attractive to you. While the mechanics and pace of the game are not in the top tier of quality, the story, for me, more than makes up for this and was worth the experience.
Have you played this game before? What were your thoughts on it?
Please, let me know in the comments below!
See you next week!
Michael Austin 