" No one in living memory can comprehend the language of the gods, but perhaps a chance encounter with a cosmic soothsayer can lead to some vague understanding, that even such low-class nous can decipher." A mod being made by Amnesia Pandemiac - a special event including experienced developers - about an epidemic situation in another world, we can all relate to..
Review for the "demo" version, Esophagus.
Fantastic world-building and atmosphere, lots of really cool mapping and I generally love the idea of "religious gameplay". The music was amazing (save for a few weird moments). Several *really* creative scares/cutscenes.
Unfortunately the good stuff is kinda held back by several basic mistakes. Unintuitive puzzles, overly punishing encounters, some pointless running, and at times a general lack of direction make for a rather frustrating experience. The story is understandable, but the anachronistic wording is making it needlessly hard to comprehend.
I've seen those issues (in various combinations) crop up in the solo mods of many of the creators, so what I would like to see them do next is to finally consider the experience of a user playing the mod for the first time and design gameplay in a way that won't confuse the player out of their immersion.
Also worth noting, AI was used in this mod. I understand the voice-overs, but the loading screens leave a sour taste. I also suspect the issues with the writing might come from uncritically using AI to rephrase things.
I hope all of this won't come off as condescending, as I really think there is something here, just lacking polish in the user experience department, and I decided to inflate my rating as proof of that.
PS. Why is there a screen of a custom story description in the premenu instead of just displaying the text?
For the demo:
This mod has attributes which I wish to see WAY more in other custom stories, specifically it being more narrative driven with heavy world building, and cinematic gameplay. It was extremely creative and gave a unique atmosphere and feeling that is hard to come across with Amnesia mods. The story was eclectic and and captivating. It reminded me a lot of AAMFP, which I absolutely loved, so it was good to see a mod that emulated that style.
I'm not by any means an expert on gameplay, but what I can say about it is that the puzzles, though unique, weren't very intuitive. Some of the monster encounters were scary at first, but difficult to the point where they lost their original impact after a few deaths. They did, however, feel rewarding to pass.
For me, personally, I usually play mods for their atmosphere and story (which were done very well in this mod) so the issues with the gameplay aren't a big deal for me, but some others may differ.
I really enjoyed the Esophagus demo. It's one of the most impressive mod projects I played for some years.
+:
+Beautiful maps, environments, props, details.
+Pretty colour palette, use of fog or billboards.
+I loved the writing, at first I believed it came directly from Lovecraft's stories!
+The voices are very well implemented and seem natural. Good use of actual AI tech, same goes for the loading screens. It's nice to combine classic work with some AI one like this; subtly.
+The fact that different trials come after each other in various places is interesting. The use of the Tome with riddles is a fun change. It's like we have different chapters, literally.
+Edit: I forgot to talk about music, I thought it was good and went well with the progression of events.
-:
-There is a section where you need to lure an enemy with stones to progress, it was a little hard, I had to retry a few times!
-A few tiny "holes in walls" in the big hall room near the beginning but I think it has been patched up!
-It's not the complete game!
I hope that we will see more of this someday! Impressive work of passion, no doubt.
TRY IT!
Sorry mate, this one wasn't it.
Positives:
The visuals and mapping were wrought with care and artistry in most locales.
Certain concepts did pique mine interest.
Negatives:
The execution of gameplay did lacklusterly, akin to an afterthought. It seemed fashioned around the design of the map, with the narrative haphazardly affixed.
Much slow movement did persist, a veritable drag upon the experience.
Alas, no palpable tension did pervade the mod, leaving a void in the immersive tale.
In conclusion, as the tapestry of this digital odyssey unfolds, one is compelled to reflect upon the intricate dance betwixt visual splendor and the lamentable specter of lackluster gameplay. Verily, may future endeavors strive to harmonize the narrative thread with the seamless choreography of interactive engagement, thus transcending the mundane and achieving an apotheosis of immersive gaming experiences.
--DEMO REVIEW--
Engaging story and setting. Structure, scenery and some areas are a joy to arrive to, a few made my jaw drop.
It features some interesting mechanics and concepts, such as how "the guiding light" (an "intrinsic" element from the world) is used or how you have to get around some enemies. Ambience is great too.
It may be pretty punishing for new or unexperienced players, but if you are used to Amnesia it should have the right difficulty.
Really loved some areas or events which I do not wanna spoil. I highly recommend to check out the demo!