(Spoilers) Maan What Am I seeing ! (episode 4 critic)

[oplli]

I have Just finished episode 4 and I will say it right now, the episode 4 of story mode is by FAAAAAAR the best in every way. Characters, cinematic, Building variety through the map, Art style, suspense in the scenario, a lot of new mechancis and a good balance between survival and story aspect.

I have been surprised from the beggining to the end about every thighs I have seen !

First the Cinematics. Yes in episode 3 we have better cinematics than episode one and two but nothing can be compared to ep 4 ones. They are entertaining. like movies. We cant interact with character through questions like we were able to do in previous episodes but i thing that those were breaking the beat and mood of cinematics with long silences and I prefer without. Hinterland has been generous in the ammount of cinematics, their lenght, visual aspect and small details that makes the difference !

The other thing we first realise is how every character is complex with its own story. It brings a lot of life to the game and I like it.

The level design is also awesome. There are no maps that looks like this one and every building is different from another. In the older maps every broken houses, trailers watchtowers caves are the same But in blackrock everything is different from the rest of the world (Mine, steam tunnels, electric lines, enormous crevaces, FLOWING RIVER !) I also think that buildings were better fit to the terrain. It didnt looked like terrain has been made for the buildings but quite the opposite. Nothing seemed to be there just to be there. 

I dont know if i was the only one to feel that but though all the mine exploration part of the story i thaught i was going to encounter Astrid. Finally we didnt but that was nice to wonder about things and the more i go far in the story the more i feel like that ! So about suspense i think it was at its maximum during the last cinematic. It answered a couple of questions but we still have some  (How the hell astrid got to perseverance mills)

To be brief i just loved every aspect of episode four, Cant wait for episode five. I also felt that a lot of the community wishes that i have seen in the forums these past years have been developped in this update and i wanted to thank Hinterland for that (I am thinking about perseverance mills wich looks like it will only be acessible by boat) !

[Serenity]

The flowing water was really nice.Also the lack of a loading screen in some locations like the guard room or the infirmary.

World modeling is definitely improving. I hope that some day they'll go over old maps and apply some of the later experience to tune them up a bit. Another example the improved lighting in Ash Canyon. With the loading screens that isn't possible everywhere (as the interior doesn't always match the outside), but some places could be adapted. 

Edited October 12, 2021 by Serenity

[Admin]

Thanks for the feedback. We're glad you enjoyed Episode Four! 

[Gustaaf]

I would pay for a REDUX version, where they reboot the story line with Episode 4 cinematics and the like. 

[oplli]

8 hours ago, Gustaaf said:

I would PAY for a REDUX version, where they reboot the story line with Episode 4 cinematics and the like. 

FOR SHURE !

[Serenity]

15 hours ago, Gustaaf said:

I would pay for a REDUX version, where they reboot the story line with Episode 4 cinematics and the like. 

Waste of resources. They already re-did it once and it took ages. That time it was worth it (and it went beyond aesthetics), but I don't want them to do it again. Story mode is something you play 1-3 times. I really don't want to do it again. Touching up the maps for survival mode is a far better investment.

[oplli]

14 hours ago, Serenity said:

Story mode is something you play 1-3 times. I really don't want to do it again. Touching up the maps for survival mode is a far better investment.

That is also a fair point i would prefer touch ups for maps than for story mode