The Sinking City Video Review
The Sinking City is the latest in a long line of Lovecraftian inspired Eldritch Horror games, yet unlike many of those that came before it this game embraces everything from the grand overarching narrative and Cosmicism that Lovecraft himself believed in down to the minute, fine details of his work. This action-adventure horror game follows Charles Reed, a former war veteran turned private investigator as he searches the fictional city of Oakmont, Massachusetts to understand the horrible visions that plague his mind. The Sinking City combines elements of Eldritch Horror with real investigation skills and survival mechanics that refuse to hold your hand, and the game is addicting and heart-pounding to say the least. Check out our full review of The Sinking City by hitting play on the video below.
The developers of The Sinking City heavily reinforce the investigation aspect of the game by forcing you to rely on your own skills as a sleuth with no hand-holding as you look for clues at a crime scene or try to figure out where to go next. Certain key buildings are marked on the map for you ahead of time, but all other points of interests must be discovered. The Sinking City is much more engaging because you need to pay close attention to the map, but this can start to bog you down after opening and closing it several times for directions.
The combat in The Sinking City feels very similar to a Resident Evil game, as you must conserve your bullets and make judgment calls about when to flee and when to fight, since drawing your gun and aiming will slow you down significantly. The creepy, empty, broken environment does a fantastic job of setting up the narrative of a Lovecraftian world and immersing you in that style of horror that feeds on dread, however, this only works when the graphics can keep up. Often, the screen tears or jumps, and even running down the street causes numerous hiccups. Environments and objects blip into existence and textures take several moments to load, yo-yoing you in and out of this world that hinges on the need for immersion.
Though the characters feature excellent delivery and tone from the voice actors, the animated facial expressions often do not match the conversation at hand. The Sinking City may have a few graphical and performance issues, but overall, the revamped investigation systems that rely on your own powers of deduction are a welcomed element, and the combat is both tense and nerve-wracking. The Lovecraftian world teems with things to do and will constantly have you nervous and on edge — in the best way possible.
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