F is for... The Forgotten City

Platform: Steam

Genre: Adventure

Completed: 22/12/2023

Alright, I promise all my games aren't just going to be from the Adventure genre. I swear. But I won't lie, I do like the genre and have quite a few titles. I'll try to spread them out.

So how often do men think of the Romans?

Well, ever since this game came out, I was eager to play it and I was fortunate enough to acquire it in a Humble Choice Bundle. The concept of it had intrigued me, so I wanted to experience it. But at the time, I never could find the right time to start it. That's where this challenge set me straight.

And after playing it, I realized I underestimated how much I would enjoy it. I am surprised with myself that I put it off for so long.

This is probably one of the few games that I know of, where they cover time loops so well. The game has the same day looping again and again. Now they could have simply done it where interacting with the NPCs would be like nothing happened. But, they made it so that the game remembers what the player did, and not only does it open different conversations, but even alters how their introduction with you goes. They get confused that you seem to know them; that you know their troubles and secrets; that you can "foretell" the future. And they act accordingly.

But that was only a fraction of what I enjoyed. The mystery of the loop was fascinating in itself. While I had deduced part of the twist early on the second half had floored me. Never had I felt such anger towards an NPC before.

Also, I loved the sense of paranoia you felt as you walked around the Roman city. Everywhere you went you would see golden statues, most frozen in a state of terror. It didn't help that you would often hear a whispering coming from them (the voice of your anonymous guide) but the most unsettling was when you realize that they are actually watching you. My breath caught when I first made that realization because you never see their gaze shift. You'll be near one of them and they will be looking in a direction, then you take your eyes off of them for a moment, and when you look back they are looking straight at you. It was absolutely brilliant!

And when it is time for divine punishment to be delivered? It was a mad dash for survival; or a risky gambit to access areas where the mortals would have stopped you before. It was exhilarating and tense the whole time. Then once safely back through the portal, the loop starts all over again, but this time - lessons learned; secrets revealed; and items brought along. It was just a matter of how to use them at their best.

I am also a little sad though, because now that I have finished the game, I won't be able to experience it like I did playing it the first time. And that takes away part of the experience. I can only hope that I can find another game that can match this one.

Next up will be - Gunlok