This is a lovingly crafted game about Canada in the 1700s. It is mainly in visual novel style where you have to make some decisions and the rest is a walking simulator. It is very linear with little interaction.
The story hinges around Jeanne (a French Catholic), whose boat is shipwrecked on the St Laurence River; Maikan, a young Innu (Native Indian) hunter-gatherer and Pierre, a hunter/trader/poacher who connects both of them. You have two narratives running parallel throughout the entire game. The devs worked with a Council of Elders who advised what version they wanted to put forward....and it shows.
The graphics are outstandingly beautiful and I was taking screenshots like crazy! The Canadian wilderness is on full display in its glorious beauty and harsh unforgiving terrain. I really loved all the historical information about the first settlers and the First Nations peoples culture and beliefs. Music is both haunting and soothing and each character has its individual theme. I thought the voiceovers were excellent.....and the English translation is very good. The whole game is executed very well and was very educational for this Aussie girl. I encountered no bugs, but some of the screens are very slow in loading, especially between chapters.
The main characters are fleshed out really well. Jeanne is an educated Frenchwoman and able to read Latin. She came out for a better life as the colony was short on women. She comes across as fiercely independent and is certainly not an insipid token woman. Jeanne is not afraid to express her opinion. One of my favourite scenes is when she met Tehon for the first time. It is the first time in meeting a Native Indian and she is the first white woman he has set eyes on!
Maikan is a young adventurous hunter/gatherer who has never known life before the arrival of white men. He is angry at the defilement of a wolf and realises atonement has to be made. On his travels, he notices a sinister natural phenomenon which puts his tribe in great danger. He finally has his first encounter with white men. Maikan's outlook shows great respect for his environment and the animals that inhabit it and the fear of offending the Great Wolf Spirit. He comes across as quite naive at times and suspicious of white man.
Pierre is a foul mouthed hunter who trades furs for a living and he is able to speak Innu. He has been honed and hardened by his livelihood and is suspicious by nature. He is quick tempered and often mocks Jeanne for her faith. There is a backstory about Pierre that is implied but never fleshed out. Maikan and he strike an uneasy truce and a tentative respect grows between them.
Through the dialogue which is long in some places, you learn about the challenges of a fledgling colony and the impact on the native population. Life is hard, tough and unforgiving with basic amenities. One scene depicts the death of a dog and many have complained about its inclusion. Tempers are very short and every slight is magnified. The incident showed the ready use of knives and its consequences. It wasn't gory and the owner has to grieve in their own way. If it was a human being killed, no one would have blinked an eye! This is the reality of life in the wilderness. A lot of dogs died from bears and other predators from being ripped apart.
Now for the negatives:
1. The game is fairly short and there is no chapter select when you finish. So if you are missing a few achievements like me, you have to replay the game....hence my longer time. Most people finish around 5 hours.
2. The dialogue is liberally sprinkled with swear words, especially Pierre's character. So the magic F word is there in abundance. I got tired of it.
3. Blasphemies. A warning for Christian players.....the Lord's name is used multiple times as a swear word. I find that curious as it was a criminal offence to blaspheme in those times and it probably wasn't used. If you are trying to build respect between white man and First Nations people, you don't trash their beliefs or mock their God. Just my opinion.
4. All white people weren't bad and all First Nations weren't good. We are all flawed human beings who need to get along with each other.
Do I recommend this game? Of course! It was new, different, refreshing and educational in parts. It highlights the beauty of the Canadian wilderness and the turmoil and changes of the time. I would love to see a sequel as it would be interesting to see how all the main characters panned out. 8/10