Gorgeous, just a couple of problems...
Tue Jan 05 2021 TacoCat1212I completely adored almost all of this. Everything was beautiful about it and well crafted, from the visuals, to the music (which was completely fantastic and really heartrending) the storyline, and the amazing voice acting. As noted in other reviews, the choices you make in this game doesn’t really influence the end. I think it would end the same no matter what I picked, but honestly, it doesn’t bother me. I like this new medium of story telling, I think it’s captivating. My one problem other than the occasional glitches visually is that the ending is so unsatisfactory. I know that this is supposed to be art and the director wanted to leave it ambiguous for drama or metaphor or something, but I spent a ridiculous amount of time on this story, way longer than I would on a movie, and I personally think it’s more respectful to your viewers to give us a little more. Other than that, this was incredibly lovely. I recommend (though not to those of the faint of heart).
Incredible
Tue May 30 2023 TheGamer6108When I first found this game it looked like a cool twist between story, and mobile. I downloaded the game and in the same day I spent a solid five hours and went through the entire game. It is amazing. I highly recommend this game to whoever enjoys a good story. The ending left me sitting on my seat, and I debated on multiple occasions until going with what I felt was right. This game really puts you into the time period and how it was. I don’t know if it was just the choices I made, or it’s just how it ends, but unlike most stories you don’t get the girl, fun twist at the end that left me dazed at all that was happening. I loved how connected I got with the main character, like when he fell in the snow I found myself begging him to get up, I especially love how much you could connect with the characters and their will to do things. The give this game 5/5 stars as it is a total masterpiece, I felt like I was playing some $30 game on a Pc, just for it all to be on mobile. The only thing I found not annoying I would say but a nice thing to fix is when they are holding hands, as they warp between each other. I really think anyway in likes this genre should get the game, fair warning though have some time on your hands before playing.
Touching story, great game
Wed Jun 22 2022 Cat_lin111The controls were surprisingly good, and didn’t bug out for me, which I was happy about. The animations were a little glitchy, like during the first hug scene, Peter and Clara’s faces kept going inside each other's, so you would see like Peter’s cheek poking out of Clara’s face, and sometimes their eyes and mouth would disappear, but others then that, it was fine. The story itself was very captivating and let me to finish the game in an entire day because I didn’t want to stop playing. It was also a very touching game and I found myself crying a bit at the end. Also, the voice acting, just “✨”. Never once did it sound like an annoying robot was talking. The “The End” was put way before the actual ending, I’m not sure if it is meant to be like that, but it might get some people to exit the game before it’s actually over. Also, I want to know if they live or not. Maybe you could add to the ending, maybe where Peter gets home and makes up with Clara, and they get “knighted” as Floyd says. That would be really awesome if you added that. This game is amazing and I super highly recommend it. Also, the developers are amazing as well, thank you so much for creating this game and I hope you make more like this in the future! ❤️
Didn’t get it
Tue Jan 12 2021 loclo333I really wanted to like this game. I have played a couple of ‘walking-simulator’ type games before and usually end up enjoying the story even if I sometimes find the controls a little repetitive or tedious. However, the gameplay is so inconsequential here that I was left wondering why it is a game at all rather than simply an animated short.
Your role in the game is limited to making decisions for the main character and directing him around the environment at various times. As others have noted, none of the decisions appear to make any difference to the overall story. It’s also very unclear what any of the various buttons mean, so you’re never really sure what choice you’re making anyway. In terms of moving him through the environment, if you play on iPhone most of the time you’re just pressing on the screen to make him move - it doesn’t matter where you press. Often I just found that this obscured part of the environment and I wished it was a cut scene instead. There are small parts where you can click on various things to investigate, but - even if you manage to find these things - it doesn’t add enough to enrich the story being told in the dialogue.
Add in a couple a game-ending glitches and a somewhat dissatisfying ending, and what you’re left with is a game that may not be worth your time.
Rarely this Compelled to Review
Mon Oct 11 2021 VvIvaLlaLuUnaI feel a bit contrarian, looking over the issues other reviewers have with the game structure and narrative — I felt compelled to completely disagree. Of course, my favorite game is Kentucky Route Zero, I love this kinda stuff.
The fact that choices in the game are altogether inconsequential is not an issue for me. You are fully immersed in this setting, you become the character — I feel that the way the story is woven together, alternative endings wouldn’t have as much of an impact as slowly uncovering the mysteries of Peter’s life does, being a bystander. The score had my heart pounding, created a sense of urgency. Not only is it a story of survival, it’s a story of love. You really become attached to the narrative in a way that transports you to the Cold War era.
The way that the choices are designed, completely emotion-based, you feel what the character is feeling. It’s a really novel and unique design. Not to mention how clean and seamless the minimalist, geometric artwork is.
It is essentially an animated movie, but you still take more of an active role in it than you would a film.
Absolutely Enthralling
Sun Nov 22 2020 willdootThis is the first game from Apple Arcade that I completely fell in love with. The storyline, the characters– everything about it was so well executed. Not to mention that the art style and animations were top notch. I loved the story, however the ending did leave me feeling a little bit unsatisfied– perhaps a second game, or an update with an epilogue? I would love to see what becomes of Peter and Clara. The only real thing I think that is missing from the game, is that there isn’t a “Chapter Selection” Menu, which would be lovely for replaying certain scenes and to play around with the different dialogue options. Other than that, I couldn’t ask for a better experience from this game. I will definitely be recommending it– and perhaps even playing through it again in the future!
What Even is Choice?
Thu Nov 12 2020 Savvy Consumer?I just finished the game for the first time; I can say that the story is very well crafted and that the dialogue has some quality to it.
It’s more of a walking simulator than an adventure game. You do make choices, but aside from dialogue, these are fairly linear.
The dialogue choices are the problem. To understand this, you must understand that the game is split between current scenes and flashbacks. The current situation is dire; you are trying to survive the Antarctic wastes. The dialogue options are intuitive here: depending on the situation, you might have assertive, empathetic, or alarmed options. This is represented by icons which are explained in the beginning of the game.
However, the conversations that your character has in the flashbacks are much more nuanced. The problem is that your dialogue choices are the same. This issue should be familiar to veterans of the Mass Effect series; what exactly does ‘empathy’ mean in a particular situation? I wanted to make specific choices based on my principles, however, the choices my character made were apparently different.
I’m not sure that a second play through would yield different results, and I’m not inclined to go back again. It’s possible that the developers were trying to comment on the illusion of choice or something along those lines. This is, artistically, a valid direction. From a gameplay standpoint, it’s incredibly frustrating.
Your results may vary.
Wow!
Fri Oct 30 2020 C_M17Never have I played a game on my phone which was so incredible. I typically hate games on my phone actually. I’d say it’s more of an experience/ adventure but it’s one you NEED to enjoy! I typically stick to consoles but once I started this I couldn’t put my phone down. Top notch story telling. Considering keeping Apple Arcade solely for experiences like this. Very impressed. Please make more of these. What a unique adventure! The music is excellent excellent as well. This is a game that will actually move you and gets you quite invested with the ability to make choices and decide who you are and how you respond to others. It’s awesome how you just kind of figure things out as they go and I was happy to see no tutorial. It’s fun to just go with it and it aids in the uniqueness. Excellent! Keep up the good work.
The Best Experience I’ve Had Yet
Tue Feb 09 2021 MeowingcatcentralThis game is amazing, the art style is so simple yet complicated at the same time and it manages to capture the depth and feeling of the environment I’m in. I’ve never really appreciated a soundtrack as much as this one, and the slight background noise of birds chirping and foot steps seem to add on to this experience. I played with a Dualshock 4 and a very good set of earbuds, I felt that playing on the standard screen might make it crowded and I wouldn’t be able to appreciate the scenery as much as you could be, and I do not regret my decision. This game is truly one of a kind and definetely worth the small price for Apple Arcade - If not more! I found myself so invested in the story it was actually quite surprising. Thank you so much, Developers for this wonderful experience.
Conflicted
Sun Nov 01 2020 Landyn ZaneI don’t normally review games or apps but I feel inclined to do so in this situation. You see if I were to review the game itself I would give it 5 stars so far. The story is incredibly interesting and I am very intrigued to finish it but the game is so buggy I honestly don’t feel motivated to do so. I tried to spend part of my day playing the game on my AppleTV but every so often the game would freeze and then when I logged back in all my progress was gone and I had to start back at the beginning. This happened 3 times and the last time I was so far into the game i gave up on trying again because it would take so long to get back where I was before it quit. Overall the game is incredibly interesting and fun but I honestly can’t say I’ll finish because of the time it will take to repeatedly go through the game every time it quits and doesn’t save.
