The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Review
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Publisher: The Astronauts
Developer: The Astronauts
Genre:
PEGI: n/a
Comments:
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Review
At the very start of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, a message sprawls across the screen informing the player that this game does not hold your hand and that through atmospheric exploration you will discover the truth. This statement could not be more true, and only moments into gameplay it is clear that you are on your own. With nearly open world investigation and a subtle storyline that does not force the player into doing things in any particular order, you are able to fully enjoy the experience of the world created. A beautiful game at heart, it was illustrated tenfold as it was re-mastered through the Unreal Engine 4 and released with even more beauty to see.
The Astronauts Take Off
Exploring a new kind of gaming, the incredibly small indie company, The Astronauts, poured their hearts and souls into The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. Chronicling the process all the way through and striving to create a game that focused on atmosphere and humanity, they were met with great success. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter was released in September of 2014 to overwhelming positive reviews. This victory lead to the game being ported to the Unreal Engine 4, allowing it to be released on PS4 and eventually re-released on PC with heightened graphics and player experience. The PS4 release came out just recently in July 2015 and was yet again praised. With the same strong storytelling now paired with even more impressive visuals the game reached nearly perfect status with reviewers and players alike.
The player assumes the role of paranormal investigator Paul Prospero as he travels to the sleepy town of Red Creek Valley in late 1973 to track down a fan who has seemingly vanished. The young fan, a boy named Ethan Carter, writes to Paul telling him stories of the peaceful town’s many secrets and bloody cover ups. Through exploring the abandoned mining town and his search for Ethan, Paul starts to learn more about himself and the world than he had previously seen through his work. Discovering clues and letters throughout the town, Paul starts to figure out what occurred that led him here, and how he can find Ethan. A murder mystery at heart, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter quietly lets the player take the lead and solve things on their own without being too forceful or obviously about the answers.
A New Player Experience
With games like The Vanishing of Ethan Carter starting to become more and more popular, gaming continues to make a leap forward into the world of story-telling. Games continue to be released that not only focus on a great in-depth world and characters who have more motivations than just making to the next check point. The visuals alone make this game an amazing success, being one of the most beautifully realistic landscapes seen in gaming, but truthfully the story and delicate messages the game conveys are far more impressive and will certainly stay with you long after the mystery of Ethan is solved.