The profit for Treatment is that this location means the builders are not constrained by the concept of a tangible actuality – and it results in some very attention-grabbing recreation design. Whereas Alan may be very a lot nonetheless a survival horror character, and makes use of most of the new mechanics at work right here (see yesterday’s piece for extra on that), the way in which the world reacts to him may be far wilder.
The important thing distinction is in the way you get round this world – navigation is much less A to B in The Darkish Place, as an alternative taking you from A for a number of turns round D, a fast detour to Q, and eventually to B, the place you had been hoping to be all alongside. Puzzles develop into much more prevalent. Within the mission I performed, which noticed Alan making an attempt to make contact with somebody to assist him within the Oceanview Lodge, this meant trying to enter the entrance door, and realizing I used to be caught in an countless loop that took me again exterior. To get in, I as an alternative needed to discover my means via a maze of rooftop doorways, combating off Taken enemies and utilizing a brand new mechanic that enables Alan to take away mild from, or place it again into an space, shifting its very make-up, to lastly discover my means inside.
Set towards Saga’s extra action-oriented sequences, it’s a curious, welcome change of tempo, and has the advantage of reflecting fairly how tousled issues have gotten for Alan within the intervening years.
There’s one other key distinction to Saga – the place the FBI agent can enter her Thoughts Place to assist work out how all of this matches collectively, Alan as an alternative enters his Author’s Room, with a wholly totally different mechanic to work with. As a substitute of a Case Board, Alan can discover his notes on the story of the Darkish Place and, as a author, he can rewrite them.
Take the Oceanview Lodge – upon coming into main places all through the constructing, Alan’s notes construct on the story of this place – he has notes on the Entrance Corridor, the Ballroom, and extra. However early on, he finds out that it was as soon as the setting of an uncommon immersive theater expertise.
All of the sudden, I’ve the choice to rewrite these places in that context – the Ballroom shifts from an empty room to 1 with a stage and viewers seating, unlocking new clues, objects, and discoveries. Different areas unlock new doorways for me to discover additional.
