The Sinking City Game Review
3 Step Game Review
About the Game
Released
June 27, 2019
Developer
Frogwares
Price
US$ 59.99
(MAY VARY PER LOCATION)
Game Description
The Sinking City is an adventure and investigation game set in an open world inspired by the universe of H.P. Lovecraft, the master of Horror. The half-submerged city of Oakmont is gripped by supernatural forces. You’re a private investigator, and you have to uncover the truth of what has possessed the city… and the minds of its inhabitants.
– An oppressive atmosphere and story inspired by the universe of… (continues…)
Step 1: Playing Conditions
Read below the game basic characteristics. If it is something you see yourself playing, move on to Step 2: Graphics & Sound.
Gameplay Overview
The Sinking City (TSC) is an invitation to read, listen, and be part of a STORY. Even though it’s classified as an Action-Adventure, most of the game is about reading and listening to the story. All other game mechanics (character, combat, NPCs, missions, etc…) can be found in other games made in a similar or better way. To play TSC, you need to like a SLOWER game pace and see the pleasure in searching for things at your screen.
Step 2: Graphics & Sound
Watch 5 to 10 minutes of any video below. If you like what you see and hear, move on to Step 3: Game Evaluation.
Step 3: Game Evaluation
Build your expectations about the game by learning what it offers and how was The Partisan Spy’s experience.
USER INTERFACE
TSC follows Action Adventure genre “guidelines”.
The TUTORIAL section is a menu with text instructions. First gaming hours can be a challenge as there is no in-game tutorial to present basic mechanics. Again, you need to like READING to enjoy the game.
STORY
The story is the CORE of the game. Main and side cases are very well INTEGRATED to tell the story as a whole.
The character is an Investigator, instead of missions, he has cases. While the main cases conduct you through the story, the side cases reveal interesting and intriguing parts of it.
COMMUNITY POTENTIAL
As a PVE game and not seen by the community as a big title, TSC shows no potential to sustain a player base. After content to help players complete the game is published and DLCs are released doesn’t exist any other ELEMENT to keep gamers gathered around the game.
GAMEPLAY MOOD TRACKER
MOOD ANALYSIS
Mood tracker shows the high influence the STORY had on my game experience. To start enjoying the game and reach ENTERTAINED or EAGER mood levels the story had to win me.
The opposite also happened. When the storyline diverted, my mood dropped from CAN’T STOP PLAYING IT to NORMAL.
GRIND FEELING
The gameplay mechanics follow the same formula through the entire game, but there was no grind feeling, THANKS to the story. Almost every case, had CONVINCING reasons to be done. It makes the player feel part of the story, instead of focusing on the negative side of repeating over and over again a sequence of actions.
LIKED THE MOST
How the plot of the story was built and delivered to the player during the game.
DISLIKED THE MOST
How the story diverts from the climax to its resolution.
EVALUATION SUMMARY
TSC bets everything on its STORY. All gameplay experience is a result of how the story performed in combination with all other variables.
The down-side of this bet is that when the story didn’t perform well, other elements, as combat mechanics, weren’t strong enough to compensate it. TSC had a huge potential of being an amazing game if all variables were as strong as the STORY. That’s what the game price indicates but unfortunately doesn’t deliver.
Choices & Advice
DON’T BUY IT
FOR FULL PRICE OR IF YOU “HAD YOUR SHARE” OF SLOW PACED GAMES.
WAIT TO BUY
KIND OF GAME THAT WILL BE SOLD AT A BIG DISCOUNT.
~US$10,00 IS A GREAT DEAL.
BUY NOW
IF YOU ARE A FAN OF FROGWARES GAMES.
GAME LIFETIME
THIS GAME CAN BE 100% COMPLETE IN 25-35 HOURS.
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