The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

October 19, 2020October 26, 2020 ~ thealmightybacklog ~ Leave a comment

I have a real soft spot for the hard-boiled grim detective trope in narratives. There’s something almost mystical about that image and its portrayals in games - from the cynical poetry of Max Payne’s dialogue to the jaded ultraviolence of Booker in Bioshock Infinite - tend to result in some of my favourite characters in … Continue reading The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

Firewatch

May 10, 2018December 29, 2018 ~ thealmightybacklog ~ Leave a comment

Quick question: what comes to mind when I say "walking simulator?" Some lengthy linear nonsense where you trudge around listening to a voice over? No player agency whatsoever? Barely anything that could charitably be called gameplay? The genre seems to be a much-maligned one thanks to these preconceptions but thankfully there's always something that comes … Continue reading Firewatch