A love letter to hinterland (Spoilers)

[Pawsitive]

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 4!

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Dear Hinterland-Team,

I'm not a native speaker, nor a very active member of this forum, but I want to write this so badly.

You. Are. Great.

I just finished Episode 4 and it was worth the long, dark wait.

It was glorious.

Despite the long times of waiting between this episodes, you manage to get me involved again in seconds. I don't even know where to start this properly, so, I write everything as it comes to my mind.

1. The Voices

There are on point. I don't know the cast well, but you made a great choice. I can only think of two or three sentences from Will and Franklin that might have been spoken a little more emotionally, but that's just me nitpicking. All the lines sound so smooth, so well crafted so ... natural. The same goes for ...

2. The animation and cutscenes

In every episode it gets better. I was stunned during the end scene with Jace and later during the fight with Mathis. Let it be the tremble in Wills arm during the fight or Jaces Lips, when she nearly froze to death. I noticed all of that and was mindblown, how good you guys became in this kind of stuff.

Even the little things like moving the valves or Wills rubbing hands as he enters the brutal cold again. It all looks so good! Great job!

3. Gameplay

So. Smooth.

I remember, a few years ago, the game felt a little ... unwieldy, maybe even clunky sometimes. But especially in this episode that feeling was gone completely. You polished the game really well in terms of being "nice to play".

I have to admit though, after I found the fourth hunting rifle I checked whether I really play on medium difficulty ^-^" But maybe I just got lucky.

Oh, and I want to say that the whole pipe-section made a lot of fun! Nice riddle! And you still managed to give (at least me) this feeling of ... mild despair. For example after the mine collapses. The first thing I noticed - just trough sounds - were the ongoing aurora and my first thought was: "Oh f*** ... I have to go back during an aurora? Through all these wolves? I'm dead."

Which is a great thing by the way. It feels so challenging! Like we're really achieving something and not just playing a game. I even got to know a whole new emotion: Mixed relief. I was so glad to reach the prison again, felt safety for ... a second, maybe, after I closed the door behind me and then: "Why I'm glad? Mathis is waiting ... from one wolf to another."

It just occured to me, I have a tiny, really tiny complaint ... The first time you come back, the game tells you to hide your things. But ... which things? During the entire episode, I didn't dare to exchange Will's clothes because I was afraid that my nice, warm shirt would be taken away from me. Maybe you could say "Hide all your things, except what you wear on your skin" or something like that :3

But thats just my two cents.

4. Story

Oh. My. God.

I'm SO involved!

Finally we got SOME hints what this story is all about. The astrophysical phenomenon, the content of the suitcase, the ... plague I guess? In perseverance mills ... but let me start at the beginning.

Mathis is such a ... despicable character - but still well rounded. He even got a redeeming quality, which is so important for antagonists! I mean ... Donner is maybe even more evil than him, but ... he did all these things just for his son.

And to be king of great bear, but that's less important.

Even his minions got a portion of love. They don't really matter, but they feel ... complete, you know? One seems superstitious, the other one quite loyal ... it's the little things.

Then we have Jace (which sounded very similiar to Molly from episode 3?), the anonymus helper. I loved the interactions between her and Will. This cryptic but still humorus kind of conversation ... and by the way: I loved how cheeky Will was with Mathis. This man really has balls of steel. Sorry for the language, but Will ist just badass. And I like it! In calm situations he seems so ... tender and caring, but woe to anyone who gets in his way.

But back to the story ... well told, well paced ... these constant "back to hell"-feeling no matter whether you go out of prison or back in ... the blackmail by Mathis even feels so powerful ... we don't know what is in this case, but what we know is that Astrid needs it. And we love Astrid. Still. Some would say "Always" ...

And yet again you guys pleasured as with a great climax of the story. Which sounded more erotic as it should, but I'm not a native speaker.

The sheer panic after the explosion. The fear of suffocating (great feature by the way). The dark premonition you get from Mathis' threat. The relief to finally find the suitcase again. The prison escape. The joy when you find Jace, which is totally destroyed when you hear the knocking on the door. And the fight ...

This fight.

The whole f******* time I just sat there, waiting for a quick-time-event and thinking "Jump. Take her and jump. Better the cold than Mathis."

And after the jump ... the pure despair. Wet. Cold. Followed by Mathis, driven by vengeance for his son (he will die, I'm sure. They couldn't save Franklin from beating wounds, they had to send us for meds, and Donner will be injured quite more severe, I guess) and without all the stuff we've managed to get ...

And then the end scene.

This boat. The realization it's Astrid in it. The Sign of perseverance mills. The whole dialogue that occurs.

I'm so enthrolled!

I desperately want to know how it all ends. But: Take your time, guys.

You have been providing us with great content for years, content, that kept me playing this game for hours and hours. You are one of the few game studios that still work with your community and fulfill their wishes as best they can and I'm convinced that Episode 5 will be a great finale. So take all the time you need for it.

I'll wait.

And of course I hope that it doesn't end completely with Episode 5 ... I know you guys want to move on, but please don't forget this absolutely beautiful game. It's a gem, really.

Thanks for all the great memories.

Sincerly,

Pawsitive

[Admin]

Thank you so much for posting. We made a couple small edits to make the spoiler warning a bit more visible, but the team has read this post and we are very touched by your response. 

We couldn't make this game without you, and players like you. Sharing this story is a privilege, and we are grateful for the response so far. Thank you for being part of our community, and for sharing the journey with us. 

[Pawsitive]

Thanks for the edit and the cute reply ❤️

Stay pawsome!

[Ruruwawa]

1 hour ago, Pawsitive said:

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 4!

.

.

.

.

 

 

Dear Hinterland-Team,

I'm not a native speaker, nor a very active member of this forum, but I want to write this so badly.

You. Are. Great.

I just finished Episode 4 and it was worth the long, dark wait.

It was glorious.

Despite the long times of waiting between this episodes, you manage to get me involved again in seconds. I don't even know where to start this properly, so, I write everything as it comes to my mind.

1. The Voices

There are on point. I don't know the cast well, but you made a great choice. I can only think of two or three sentences from Will and Franklin that might have been spoken a little more emotionally, but that's just me nitpicking. All the lines sound so smooth, so well crafted so ... natural. The same goes for ...

2. The animation and cutscenes

In every episode it gets better. I was stunned during the end scene with Jace and later during the fight with Mathis. Let it be the tremble in Wills arm during the fight or Jaces Lips, when she nearly froze to death. I noticed all of that and was mindblown, how good you guys became in this kind of stuff.

Even the little things like moving the valves or Wills rubbing hands as he enters the brutal cold again. It all looks so good! Great job!

3. Gameplay

So. Smooth.

I remember, a few years ago, the game felt a little ... unwieldy, maybe even clunky sometimes. But especially in this episode that feeling was gone completely. You polished the game really well in terms of being "nice to play".

I have to admit though, after I found the fourth hunting rifle I checked whether I really play on medium difficulty ^-^" But maybe I just got lucky.

Oh, and I want to say that the whole pipe-section made a lot of fun! Nice riddle! And you still managed to give (at least me) this feeling of ... mild despair. For example after the mine collapses. The first thing I noticed - just trough sounds - were the ongoing aurora and my first thought was: "Oh f*** ... I have to go back during an aurora? Through all these wolves? I'm dead."

Which is a great thing by the way. It feels so challenging! Like we're really achieving something and not just playing a game. I even got to know a whole new emotion: Mixed relief. I was so glad to reach the prison again, felt safety for ... a second, maybe, after I closed the door behind me and then: "Why I'm glad? Mathis is waiting ... from one wolf to another."

It just occured to me, I have a tiny, really tiny complaint ... The first time you come back, the game tells you to hide your things. But ... which things? During the entire episode, I didn't dare to exchange Will's clothes because I was afraid that my nice, warm shirt would be taken away from me. Maybe you could say "Hide all your things, except what you wear on your skin" or something like that :3

But thats just my two cents.

4. Story

Oh. My. God.

I'm SO involved!

 

This is exactly how I feel about Episode 4, but you've said is much better than I could.  Even during the initial story scenes I was thinking "Wow, the animation got really good.  These characters are so distinct, and genuinely Canadian -- not a stereotype but the kind of folks you actually meet.  And Matthis... not my kind of guy but also not one-dimensionally "bad because he's bad".   I didn't read the whole post yet because I'm not very far in the story yet.  But I probably agree about the rest too.

[JMK]

Like you, I did enjoy that episode a lot

You forgot to mention the music which is outstandingly in tune (sic!) with the game

My most dangerous moment was 2 wolves attacks followed by 2 bear attacks as I was closing the power plant, lost gloves, pants, shoes and tuque, I decided to stand to the challenge and go on instead of using a backup. That was a really close call but what a satisfaction  

I'll wait patiently for the next episode

[Luca Loquax]

HOORAY for Hinterland!  Yay! 

[Michael1986]

On 10/7/2021 at 8:38 PM, Pawsitive said:

Thanks for the edit and the cute reply ❤️

Stay pawsome!

 

yes I agree this is good content, yes we waited, alot but still Hinterlands you did well, and it left us with sme questions

 

1:Who is Donnor, why people are scared of him so much ?

 

2:What is this İnfection going on around....Waith a minute....What if Covid came from The Great Bear....OH MY GOD

 

3:Will hinterlands ever add my suggestion to the game, an AA-12 automatic shotgun

 

2 out of 3 of these questions will get answered but I just cant waith for episode 5

 

 

tho miss, cut the paw puns they get annoying real fast just saying

 

 

Edited October 15, 2021 by Michael1986

[Sherri]

Very well said - hear hear!! I agree completely with this review.

[Luca Loquax]

I finished my first play through and started my second.  It is even MOAR fun the second time around!

 

Hooray for Hinterland!   Thank U Raph and Devs.