I really enjoy this type of game. It reminded me of Firewatch and What Remains of Edith Finch, two games I loved. But I can't get over how the main character's father groomed and impregnated a 16 year old and it seems like we're supposed to feel bad for him because she died and he "loved" her. Every character in the game is icky, even the ones just mentioned in passing. Just throw the whole mountain out.

Interesting story, but the fact that you can't skip dialogue and the game still glitches out, thus forcing you to sit through lengthy slow-talking scenes...needs to be fixed.
Too slow and back-and-forth for me.

This games details are insane, but the story and gameplay at times is messed up, the story being heavily cuz wtf

*Includes Spoilers*
The storyline and plot for this game had potential, if it had been well executed. It explores heavy themes and topics, and could have made for an interesting game, however the lack of fine tuning and consideration given to the game play and themes made this game a huge flop in my opinion. I only paid like $2 for it, so I am glad I had not invested a large amount of time or money.

Firstly, game play. Every 5-10 seconds you call Irving on the phone. The game is a non-stop revolving door of talking to him, a complete stranger, who starts to flirt with you and appear interested in you, after a few days of phone conversations. Now this in itself would not be too much of a deterrent, except you cannot interact with points of interest, or progress through the story, until you have sat and listened to a dialogue exchange in it's entirety, usually a minute or two each time, every 20 seconds. Even if you know where you need to go to get something, you cannot pick it up until you stand there and listen to the conversation. At first, it was manageable, but as the game progresses, it becomes tedious standing around twiddling your thumbs.

Secondly, heavy themes. Topics surrounding suicide, grooming, pedophilia (because that is exactly what this game uncovers), should be handled with sensitivity and care, more than just a heavy topic warning at the start of the game. This game is poorly developed in the sense that the characters, storylines and themes are not developed in a way that do them justice. You wake up one day, to evidence and clues on a wall, including newspaper clippings that uncover the fact that your 49 year old dad was having an affair on your mother, with a 16 YEAR OLD CHILD, who was 9 weeks pregnant when she died. Despite this, there is no commentary, dialogue or interactions that condemn these actions, your father who is a pedophile, or handle these issues with care. You find a room in the basement that is basically a replica of the 16 year olds. Yet, Irving (Rachel's brother) does not seem angry, or outraged, or disgusted by your father who groomed her, saying something at the end referencing 'her love'. A 16 year old being groomed should not be portrayed as a romance.

Finally, the ending. A sloppy, disconnected, poorly executed mess. You uncover the secrets of what happened to Rachel, you tell Irving, and then... Irving walks out into the snow and presumably kills himself to the cold, and you yourself have the choice to gas yourself to death in your car, or turn the engine off and 'fix up the hotel'. In the 30 seconds since you found out what happened to Rachel, you seem to talk to your parents who aren't there, go a bit loopy, and be ready to end it all... sorry... what? The entire dialogue of the game makes your character seem driven and headstrong... but all of a sudden she is ready to end it all, over a hotel she never intended to return to, and a storyline that didn't deeply affect her throughout the game? It made absolutely no sense and made the entire game feel like a waste.

You learn Irving was in the hotel with you, what a huge plot twist. It would have been way more engaging if the dialogue options you chose, dictated how the game would end (Irving kills you or let's you live, etc etc etc), because you don't meet him in the game as it stands. Knowing he is in the hotel, there could have been way more jump scares, making it a bit more of an actual mystery. Or it could have gone the route of Rachel's ghost being there.

The game had so much potential and so many opportunities to produce something engaging that covered the heavy topics with sensitivity and care, but it has completely fallen short.

The first 90% of the game are really good. The house is beautiful, the story is promising and you are eager to find out what actually happened there. Excellent atmosphere and voiceovers.

But the last 10% and the ending are a nonsensical mess. It makes no sense, it feels rushed and trivializes serious subjects.

Too bad. This could have been a masterpiece. But they really messed it up in the end.

Was a good but shocking story line. Would recommend but with caution just because of the details in the story.