Review for Those who remain. Game for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 28/05/2020
For several years now the genre of interactive adventures has evolved into what is defined by many as a walking simulator, in which the main elements are exploration, dialogue and search for documents interspersed with sporadic puzzles. These days we have seen many titles emerge, despite the limitations of the gameplay, thanks to a rich and profound storyline and to results worthy of productions of a much higher caliber. Those Who Remain certainly fits into the walking simulator trend, but will the Camel 101 study be able to leave an indelible mark? Although the nightmares due to the Syndrome bugs are still vivid in our mind, as this new title will also teach us, available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One and characterized by a horror and paranormal imprint, second chances can and should be granted to everyone.
Those Who Remain begins at nightfall: a lonely man, with the only company of the bottle, yet another of many, still too full or, perhaps, sadly already empty. Man and his are the vortex of thoughts, remorse and attempts to re-emerge from an abyss from which it is increasingly difficult to see the summit and the glare, even the slightest, of that light called hope. This could be the mood of Edward, a man destroyed by loss and feelings of guilt, in search of redemption and who tries, perhaps for the last time, to get out of that endless tunnel of errors. To do this he decides to end his extra-marital - that ephemeral attempt to escape from reality and from his own responsibilities - to try to redeem himself and save those who are really dear to him. Going to the Golden Oak Motel in Dormont, where this began, Edward cannot, however, imagine that his fate will cross that of a city that hides a terrible secret inside., and upon which a much more frightening and merciless scourge has fallen than the remorse due to marital infidelity.
Following Edward's escape from a dead city, we will find ourselves moving in angular and not very interactive environments and facing enemies as deadly as they are static, except for a bogeyman who will go after us whenever we are sighted by his bright eye. While we wander through deja-vu and, in large part, useless searches in drawers and cabinets, we will interact with sporadic documents and objects useful to solve uninspired and in some cases repetitive puzzles. And so, by moving a box, we will discover a key that will be able to open the way for a new document and a new piece of the puzzle studied by Camel 101 to intersperse the narration of Those Who Remain.
History alone, in many cases, manages to overturn a discounted evaluation of a product that is technically behind the times, in this case developed through Unity. But this time, despite a good narrative work, there are no evident original elements and such as to make one cry out to the miracle of writing indeed, many times we will find ourselves thinking with nostalgia of the great titles of the past. This is especially evident in the transition from the real world to the ghostly one, which allows us to unlock ways that were previously not viable and in which our memory will wander, thinking about the right and due tribute of the videogame world to the horror genre or the lack of that flash of genius. which often solves all the flaws found in a game.
Ed here then that the weight of the technical limits of this title returns to be overbearing, in which, for example, there is a clear separation between external and internal environments, with the latter much more detailed and cared for. Similarly, the animations of the few "alive" characters are not very credible and clumsy, not to mention the rare enemies with the gift of movement. The presences hidden in the darkness, peculiarity of the title, will be static and will be moved exclusively by a scripted animation that will decree the death of Edward, if their shadow area is invaded. However, a little attention will be enough to avoid them and try to turn on the precious light with the classic switch positioned on the side of almost all the doors. Although the atmosphere of a ghost town is always fascinating, there is no suitable musical counterpart to make the game experience unique and memorable.. A discreet English dubbing, accompanied by Spanish subtitles, breaks up the monotony of documents and writings that are often a filler to reach the most salient moments of Those Who Remain.
Those Who Remain could have been a good title thanks to an interesting and well-articulated plot. However, Camel 101 failed to donate suitable, varied and profound gameplay to its work which ultimately proves mediocre and technically too far behind other independent productions developed on Unity. Undoubtedly a missed opportunity, not recommended for those looking for a horror and survival experience or for lovers of original investigations and puzzles, while those who love storytelling titles will find a minimum satisfaction in the short game experience given by Those Who Remain, but don't expect writing miracles.
► Those Who Remain is an Adventure type game developed by Camel 101 and published by Wired Productions WhisperGames for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 28/05/2020
