A Place for the Unwilling
A branching narrative adventure set in the final 21 days of a dying city. Every decision you make will shape your surroundings, and the city’s fate. However, the clock is ticking – and the city carries on, with or without you. Speak to everyone from eerie politicians to chain-smoking child anarchists. Work as a trader, socialise, explore the town freely, and play a role in the city’s hierarchy. Combining the exquisite narrative depth and exploration of Sunless Sea with the curious setup of Majora’s Mask – plus a dash of Lovecraft – A Place for the Unwilling is a rich narrative experience where player choices really do count, set in a Dickensian world of colour and Eldritch nightmares. The city is hungry. It will devour us all. Dream with caution.
Game Discussion
Steam User 0
Good Idea, bad execution
The Good:
The idea behind this game is wonderful - I’m a huge fan of Lovecraftian horror, and this game delivers that existential dread perfectly. It takes some time (and a bit of knowledge about Lovecraft’s works and cosmic horror in general) to fully grasp certain plot points, but that just adds to the depth. The graphics are beautiful, the soundtrack is captivating, and the plot is intriguing.
At first, you feel a desperate urge to save the city and its inhabitants, but by the end, you’re swallowed by despair and the crushing meaninglessness of it all - a wonderful existential crisis that makes you want to restart immediately, just to try and fix everything (even though you probably can’t). The game even makes you grab a pen and notebook to track prices, clues, and choices - immersion at its finest.
The Bad:
Unfortunately, the execution is rough. The game is riddled with bugs: missing quest markers, visual glitches, and and even quests from previous save files carrying over into new playthroughs. I couldn’t enter certain events because the game kept freezing, and at one point, the in-game time broke entirely - I couldn’t sleep, interact with quests, and lost two full days of progress.
Another major issue is the lack of information. Playing blind is brutal - some choices take 20 in-game days to show consequences, and you can’t skip time unless it’s 6 PM. If you want to see different endings, be prepared to replay those 20 days over and over. (Though replaying is easier once you know key details… but still, Jesus Christ .)
Neutral (But Worth Mentioning):
The game only has English and Spanish translations, which might limit accessibility.
There are noticeable typos and errors in the text - not game-breaking, but immersion-breaking at times.
Sadly, the developers have abandoned the project (as confirmed in a 2023 Discord announcement), so don’t expect fixes or updates.
Final Verdict:
Despite its flaws, I love this game and will absolutely play it again. The atmosphere, storytelling, and sheer despair it evokes are worth the jank. But be warned: you’ll need patience, a non-existent wiki, and maybe a stiff drink to endure the bugs.