Episode 4 - Review.

[peteloud]

I have been disappointed with Episode 4.  No, I didn't say it's bad or that I didn't enjoy it, just disappointred.  This was probably due more to my playing it in my usual survival style and making a couple of careless mistakes, rather than inherent faults in the game.

Instead of concentrating on following the story, I started off rushing around trying to explore the map, find weapons and resources and make a moose backpack.  I found a few caves, but couldn't mark them on the map with charcoal.  

I found a mine, but couldn't find a way in. (When piddy3825 mentioned, ". . . death by toxic mine gas, followed by death by smoke inhalation", I assume that there must be a way in.)

 
I didn't clearly hear all of a mysterious telephone call about the steam zone.  This caused me to waste much time later in the game.

I wasn't clear how to use those noise maker grenades.  The first time I tried to use one to protect myself from wolves it exploded in my hand.  I didn't harm the wolves but injured myself severely.  I didn't try a second time.  This meant that I used much more revolver ammo so that I was down to 2 rounds with lots of the game left to play.

I feel that the steam valve puzzle was a poor choice for the crux of a survival game. However it was an interesting puzzle.  I tried for a while and failed so left the dam to explore that area and check the curing of my moose hide.  I returned a second time to the steam valves, with a jerry can of petrol. This time the puzzle was clearer.

I am now back at the prison with what I hope are the last couple of minor problems to solve.

It will be a interesting to see how this region fits in with the current regions and see what is new in ver. 1.95.

I presume that in three weeks we will get another supernatural monster/zombie Halloween game.  They don't grab me.  I gave the Darkwalker up after a few minutes.   

 

Edited October 9, 2021 by peteloud
spelling

[mfuegemann]

Hi peteloud,

I chime in with my review remarks just to not start a separate topic "EP4-Review". First my survival knowledge helped me a lot to get things moving. You know about frostbite and torches, coal temp bonus and even the edible cattails+tinder. I took my time out of the prison to explore the map, finding alternative routes to the wolf infested roads. And yes, the first noisemaker also exploded right next to my legs, causing more injuries than it did good for the wolfs. But as a new craftable item and weapon they are most welcome. I found them not necessary, though, as I was always able to reach the next shelter with a burning torch or flare. Maybe all the cars standing around are bit too much and too easy.

I turned the map indicator off to add a bit to the fun. Therefore map markings with charcoal - or even the infamous beloved spray can - would have been great. Or some indications of the roads and more landmarks on the map. Finding the caches was quite challenging that way.

The map design is very good with a mix of twisted paths and alternative routes. Survivors will recognize lots of things from regions like AC or TWM. Only the breakable ice and a fishing hut were missing.

As I judged the time availiable to be too short, I just made rabbit clothing, not going for bear and elk. So I was not disappointed that the sleeping bag and satchel were not craftable.

The blocked mine was met by something like "I have no time for this now". Maybe a similiar statement for the southern bridge crossing, like "This I will risk only if absolutely necessary", would be better. It took me a while to try that spot again after I had to go to the other side of the river.

The errand running was ok, I did expect as much as a prisoner. And there were enough side quests and exploring to do to keep me occupied. The confiscating was a nice touch. I expected something like that and hid my clothes and weapons in the guard house and lost only my tools and materials.
Maybe after the second venture something like "Hey, we found Your things in the guard house and the storage box" would be great, as this is right in view of the prison building.

The new suffocation affliction was also a great addition to the mine setting. In the prison it was implemented not as good, with missing air pockets to recover or rethink. Maybe it was done so to transport the feel of urgency. For me it resulted in some re-loadings for the next tries to find a way. 
The same goes for the final escape.

Astrid's arrival at Perseverance Mills was a surprise, leaving CH and DP for Will's part in EP5 - hopefully. 

After all, I would have loved to play the story for a couple of hours more. Thank You Hinterland for a great episode!

 

[peteloud]

25 minutes ago, mfuegemann said:

The blocked mine was met by something like "I have no time for this now". Maybe a similiar statement for the southern bridge crossing,  . . . . .

The new suffocation affliction was also a great addition to the mine setting. . . . .

The same goes for the final escape.

That was exactly how I felt about the mine and bridge.  I thought I'll look more closely later.

I have not noticed anything about this suffocation afflication .

I still have the final bits to find out.

[Sceh]

I have liked playing this episode, some very strong and some rather meh moments make for a pleasant experience overall. Due to how the map and the quest mechanics work I would say the player is taken by the hand or put on rails a little bit more than previously. I loved all the added action. So yeah, strengths and weaknesses in this episode as expected.

But:
So far most of the things that people have commonly complained about here and in other threads made me scratch my head. Like new mechanics screwing them over.  In every single instance there was at least one written warning, sometimes the character even repeats the warning by voice-over. There was a clear warning that they could harm you when you first encountered the noise-makers. So maybe ... I dunno ... use with caution? Experiment before you go out into the wilderness? Same with the confiscation, the game actually warns you that the prisoners will take everything off you ... so I set up a camp in the little guard room next to the gate, stored everything away neatly that I didnt use immediately and dropped everything else, including all my clothes, in a pile in the middle of the room, then sprinted through the yard and went in to the next story encounter nekkid.

Also the steam pipe puzzle ... maybe I am biased because I play a lot of puzzle games, but this was actually so easy ... all you had to do is get a picture of where the pipes were leading and then follow them to the "first" valve where a red pipe turns blue and icy, then work from there. Yes there was some very minor backtracking to close a valve you had just opened (solely to defrost the valve you actually need for the steam to continue to flow) but the pressure gauges were so easy to understand and follow. Although in another post somebody rightfully claims that that is NOT how pressure and flow work, but hey, just think "I need red pipes so how do i turn this gauge to red?" and you got it.

Another complaint was the "scripted bear mauling" that could not be avoided ... I have experienced no such thing. The closest I've gotten to a bear is when you have to take the detour on your way to the power plant due to the road being blocked ... and you climb over all these tree trunks ... there was a bear wandering around beneath me, not even sure I could get to where it was walking. No other bear encounter, let alone a scripted, unavoideable mauling.

I think it's like pete said, people try to continue the playstyle from sandbox to story mode and that works even less now than it has in previous episodes. The new mechanics implemented here probably also threw some people off and made them angry - change does that to people, we like everything to be as it was when we got used to it. It's just ... thinking like that will do nothing but lead to disappointment, and it's kinda unfair to put that on the devs. I think they did a good job with this episode.

I will play it again for sure!

[mfuegemann]

I had another bear near the hidden bunker. But that was behaving normal and could be avoided.

For the sandbox play style, it actually helped me a lot to be familiar with Old Bear Island. To be lore-true, one should have had to find a book about the noisemakers to be able to craft them. 

[manolitode]

2 hours ago, Sceh said:

Another complaint was the "scripted bear mauling" that could not be avoided ... I have experienced no such thing.

What difficulty did you play?

[Arcx]

In my opinion, EP4 is the best so far. A lot more action-packed quests, almost no slow-paced gathering or carrying quests. Story is strong as well - a lot of ne characters with Mathis being the asshole I expected. The map is quiet interesting with a bunch of intriguing buildings. I loved this episode and I hope Hinterland will focus the same way in EP5

Edited October 9, 2021 by Arcx

[peteloud]

Earlier I wrote that that I was back at the prison and thought that I had only a couple of minor problems after that.

How wrong I was. Several new problems arose.

[peteloud]

I eventually complete Ep.4.  and got all the achievements, or whatever they are called.  HTL said 10 hours for it in their lead-up to it.  I must have taken a little over 40 hours, (and I'm a very experienced player).

This next  bit could be regarded as a spoiler by some.  I regard it as trying to clarify confusion over the movement controls.

The primary reason for my having taken so long was entering the mine.  I treated the mine entrance as a low passage and just tried crouching and going forward.  That didn't work.  When I couldn't get in I spent ages searching around for another entrance.  My failed two attemps were in very cold stormy conditions in which I suffered badly. Not only that, I had to run the gauntlet of the wolves on the way out and on the way back on those failed attempts.  They were injurious, and wasted essential resources.

The mine was a very good bit.

My return to Blackrock was a little confusing.  I was repeatedly warned that I had not completed the mine achievements.  After a bit concern I did a backup save and bashed on into the prison.  As before I stripped off so that the guards would taken all my personal baggage. I went in naked. I suspect that was not necessary.  It didn't make sense in the following activities.

My final assessment is that Ep.4 is good, but that the region was nowhere near as interesting as Ash Canyon. There were a few issues which I thought of as, not-so-good.  As I said at the beginning, I prefer the Survival mode to the Story mode, so my views are biased.

 

 

 

[Serenity]

On 10/9/2021 at 2:20 PM, Sceh said:

There was a clear warning that they could harm you when you first encountered the noise-makers. So maybe ... I dunno ... use with caution?

And you're holding a can of black powder with a burning fuse in your hand. There is a bar decreasing when you light it. What do people expect?

The throwing mechanic itself is a bit weird though. It doesn't seem to fly very far and it is possible to throw it basically at your feet. I'd have expected something like stone throwing. Just shorter. More control that way.

I liked the region. Should be fun in survival mode (I hope there will be a fishing hut though). Didn't like the very poor, artificial wolf placement. Huge packs in very narrow choke points. Little to no roaming. It feels more like obvious blocks set in your way instead of naturally roaming creatures like in most places in survival mode.

The character work was easily the best yet. Too bad it's overshadowed by the bad gameplay as far as the wild life is concerned.

Edited October 10, 2021 by Serenity

[peteloud]

8 minutes ago, Serenity said:

. . . . There is a bar decreasing when you light it. . . . 

I was so harrassed by the Timberwolves that I did not appreciate the decreasing bar.  I don't know why.  Perhaps I thought that it was relating to the wolves not the grenade.  I need to try again and learn how to use them.

Edited October 10, 2021 by peteloud