The Suicide of Rachel Foster review - Every family has its own skeletons in the closet

We bring to your attention a review of the dramatic thriller The Suicide of Rachel Foster, in which the main character explores the causes of the suicide of her late father's mistress.

The psychological thriller The Suicide of Rachel Foster was created by the indie studio One-O-One Games , while the notorious Daedalic Entertainment acted as the publisher. Something, but for any game the German company never vouched for. And if you look ahead, the publisher did not lose this time either.

First, about the track record of One-O-One Games. There are two projects here at once, and both Fury Road Survivors and VR Ping Pong Pro resonate with the new game. It is literally globally different from what the studio was doing before.

The Suicide of Rachel Foster is a first-person psychological thriller adventure game starring a certain Nicole. The plot of events is intriguing: after the death of her father (her mother died even earlier), the girl returns to an abandoned family hotel. Nicole left the hotel immediately after the suicide of 16-year-old Rachel Forest, with whom Leonard, the heroine's father, had an affair.

A few minutes later, not intending to linger here, the girl tries to leave the hotel. However, the weather has completely different plans for this: due to a sudden snow storm, she is trapped. Initially deciding to sit out, Nicole begins to find hints of tragic events from the past. And soon there are thoughts that not everything is as simple as it seemed at first glance.

The feeling of complete isolation is diluted by the voice on the other end of the wire. This is Irwin, the only person Nicole can talk to. The man introduces himself as an agent of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and confirms that the girl will have to wait out the snow storm in the hotel.

The games can be compared to Gone Home or What Remains of Edith Finch . Apparently, the plot “a young woman who returns to the family estate after many years and reveals a terrible secret” is gradually forming into a separate subgenre of story games from the first person. However, The Suicide of Rachel Foster modifies the previously used formula. Even in comparison with their predecessors (mentioned above) title is characterized by a slower passage of time. On the one hand, the passage will take only 2-3 hours. On the other hand, it is extended due to the division of events over several days. Evidence does not appear immediately, but at first Nicole does care about worldly needs (for example, what to eat). Some critics will see this as a flaw, but I am a conscious choice of the developers, which allowed them to strengthen the psychological component. Boredom and isolation are your biggest enemies.

Just like a reality where boredom and isolation from society can cause a whole range of psychological disorders, this is well felt in The Suicide of Rachel Foster. More on this below.

Continuing the comparison with analogues, we have before us - partly non-linear adventure game. Yes, as a rule, you almost always have a goal (it is written in the lower right corner of the card). But literally from the moment you enter the hotel, the game will allow you to explore all its nooks and crannies (with minor exceptions). Sometimes it will not be clear what to do next. For example, one day you wake up in the middle of an unfamiliar church. The keys to call the map, gadgets and phone simply will not function.ovate. No one tells you what to do next. Again, someone will regard this as a disadvantage, but I believe that not knowing the events of the future greatly enhances the overall atmosphere. In addition, a little later this moment is perfectly explained by the plot.

At an excellent level and graphics. The hotel is well structured, well implemented. Impressive attention to detail. Every object containing some text - from books to phone bills and safety posters in the kitchen - can be thoroughly examined by zooming in on the camera (click on the mouse wheel). Studying the setting and environment, for some reason I came to compare the game with the masterpiece film The Shining. The main theme of the film was a long isolation, which sooner or later will surely lead to psychological disorders. I'm not sure, but one day I noticed a man in a hotel. However, he disappeared when I looked in his direction again. Perhaps there was no one there, but from the very beginning there is a feeling that Nicole is not the only guest of the hotel.

The atmosphere is one of the strongest points of the game. There will come a time when you will be afraid to walk through the empty corridors of the hotel. The feeling of the presence of the supernatural does not leave you until the very end. It is enhanced by a fantastic score, carefully selected sound effects and excellent?Chny voice-over of characters. The developers of the game definitely did not fail when Kosha Engler was chosen to play the voice actor for Nicole.

We are in a hurry to upset fans of Resident Evil and / or Until Dawn: The Suicide of Rachel Foster has nothing to do with them (except for a few slamming doors and windows). This is the purest psychological horror, ruthlessly playing with your emotions. We are talking about a completely different level of fear, which you are unlikely to have met in at least one of the previously completed games.

Every family has their own skeletons in the closet. And the secret of Nicole and Rachel Foster's parents is hidden deep in the heart of the hotel.

Despite the strong denouement, the actual ending is a little disappointing. However, this does not harm the overall gaming experience. The slow development of the story and the unhurried search for the truth is an excellent choice. Thanks to this, you will be guessing right up to the very end about what really happened to Rachel Forest. The game touches on the real problems of mental disorder and self-torture. Immediately after its launch, you see a warning from the developers, ?who do not recommend being alone for people experiencing personal problems. An important step for the gaming industry, in which so little is said about this and there is practically no real experience of dealing with mental illness.

The Suicide of the Rachel Foster is what storytelling games should aim for. And even a slightly disappointing ending does not spoil the overall impression of an exciting story. The developers know exactly how to play with the emotions of the players, and use these techniques in almost everything. Intriguing, frightening, exhilarating and unsettling in equal measure, The Suicide of Rachel Foster adventure game sets a new level for the already strong genre of first-person exploration games.