Finally finished episode 4. My thoughts on Wintermute.

[Vinceofpyrenees]

For the first three episodes, the script is good, and I really liked Jeremiah and the wilderness setting of the episode 2.
Good tutorials included in the start of the game.
The soundtrack is beautiful.
The only shortcomings are somewhat daunting fetch quests, even if they were improved a few years ago by the "Redux" update.

The weariness of fetch quests is felt less in episode 4.
On the other hand, the scenario is in my opinion my good. In a game where nature is so beautiful and intense and striking, it is very frustrating to spend 50% of the time in tunnels and other buildings.
Like what the last Jurassic World offers, where we see dinosaurs in hangars and tunnels 90% of the time. It's like watching a movie called "Beauty of Wildlife" with an urban underground backdrop. Disappointed by that.
I hope episode 5 will feature more nature.
I really didn't appreciate being warned of the point of no return once it was passed... The only way to finish the side quests was to load a previous game! What I couldn't do because I had saved manually after this point of no return (and before reading the warning which occurs a little later) for fear of the game crashing.
- And yes, this episode has many more bugs than before, even on August 27, 2023, long after its release, and very annoying: freezes then crashes and even shutdown of my PC (rare bug in the community), cinematic bugs and crucial animations (part of cutscenes!) which should trigger automatically to progress (similar, you will have to reload the game).

Finally finished, technically laborious. I take the sentimental part that it does not change my love for this game and this studio.

Survival mode remains my favorite, although I like having lore through story mode. It might be better if episode 5 is the last one.
Now, Hinterland may have found the perfect combination of sandbox and story via the DLC "Tales from the Far Territories" which includes mini stories in the survival mode; the famous "tales"!

[J.W.P]

NO do not stop wintermute