There are a whole bunch of story threads in The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, and lending to the game’s greater sense of exploration is the fact that a lot of them can be done in whatever order the player wants. I lit a wall on fire by making two ravens kiss. Other times, the player might have to find a set of items in an area to uncover a story left by the elusive Ethan, or a chapter of the larger story surrounding him. Holding a button will show the player a limited-scope vision of the missing pickaxe’s location, pushing them to find the item and return it to its place. Maybe there’s a rack of tools, with a space for a missing pickaxe. The player will discover items to inspect throughout the world that will trigger bits of insight into something connected to them. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter tells its story through a variety of supernatural occurrences. The mysterious disappearance of the valley’s residents is not easily solved, and it is up to Prospero to unravel the narrative that lies beneath the soil. Red Creek Valley is deserted, populated only by empty houses, dense pine forests, and a vast, deep lake. Initially thinking them nothing more than pestering bits of fan mail, Prospero becomes concerned when the letters take a darker turn, suggesting that Ethan may have gotten involved in something dark, dangerous, and much larger than himself.
#The vanishing of ethan carter traps series
Paul Prospero is a private detective, drawn to the mysterious and atmospheric Red Creek Valley by a series of letters from the elusive young Ethan Carter. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter plays with the concept of storytelling itself, weaving stories within stories into a multi-layered tapestry that finds a home amongst pine trees and abandoned houses. Now, a year later, it has released on Playstation 4, and I’ve finally been afforded the chance to check it out myself. Last year, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter released on Steam, hoping to be another significant chapter in that same evolution. There have been some garish missteps in the genre as it has flourished and become something recognizable – looking at you, Master Reboot – but the genre’s sense of identity has continued to evolve through landmark titles in a way that has been quite interesting to trace. I think my personal first exposure to this type of game was The Chinese Room’s Dear Esther back in 2012, followed later by Fullbright’s well-celebrated Gone Home the following year. That’s not to say that actual mechanics can’t be an important part of the story, but they take a backseat in this type of game, handing the steering wheel over to setting, atmosphere, and writing. When I say that thing that I just said, what I’m talking about is any game in first-person view, with a focus on telling a story more than on the gameplay that comes with it. Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the woods…įolks, I’m just going to come out and say it right here at the top: I love that the first-person narrative adventure is becoming a thing.
0 kommentar(er)
