The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

I am a Senior citizen and only began playing video games about 6 months ago. Frankly, I don't care if I ever 'beat' this game-it is just so WONDERFUL to be able to explore this gigantic, gorgeous, realistic World! I spent my first few hours in Tourist mode and still have not visited the whole area. I love how if you are ever-so-curious to hike up to the Cemetery or poke around the Carter house before you begin your Investigation, you are free to do so. If you wish to take this laid-back approach, I highly recommend printing or downloading a map of Red Creek Valley. I also like how there are no endless series of locked doors and no 'laundry list' of things to find (wrench, crowbar, board, etc...) or silly, pointless tasks to complete to interrupt the game play. If you need help, there are a number of walk-throughs on You tube and fantastic Guides available right here on Steam (my favorite is Mike's). So darned NICE to be an hour into a Game and not feel like I want to drop-kick my PC out the nearest window in frustration! Thank you, Astronauts! EDIT: I rather prefer the graphics in the original version, but only because it is sunnier in that World, which may or may not suit you better.

a nice detective story with supernatural elements, sometimes it's quite tough to understand what to do but hey! you're a top notch detective aren't you? I just wish both versions gave cards because I've played the redux only..

do yourself a favor play the redux edtion dont worry you get it for free if you buy this one
(so what you see is not my real playtime cause i switched to redux after an hour or so)
in the redux edtion you have no imerssion breaking stutter or sprint fov and the game looks even better
(original edition stutters like crazy and the sprint fov is like a toggable fov changer you get sick after a few minutes)
yeah and when i say looks better this game has stunning visuals at some locations of the map its insane what the unreal engine is able to do and yeah ik the frostbite and snowdrop engine ;-)
well the gamplay itself hmm yeah you run around seeking the pieces for the puzzels like a detective that is not really tense but you are kinda motivated to find everything and "unlock" new ways to new location and story parts
i have to say alone for the visual presantation its worth a look on a sale but the gamplay is really not that good there is also not really much of atmosphere
i mean im honest there was a creepy atmosphere in a underground level part till a jump scare but after that you kinda spot how this game works and then this creepy atmosphere is gone completely at least for me
also the game has some weird events i will not spoiler anything but you will really ask yourself more then once "wth is going on here?"
get it on sale and dont expect to much except very nice visuals (play the redux edition)
its hard here to deceid normaly i dont give a thumbs up for games where the gamplay is weak but yeah you can see they really worked a lot on this game i cant imagine how many hours it has taken to finish this map and make everything work on it
they even gave the owners of the original version the new version for free
(upgrade from u3 to u4 engine completely)
so yeah i give a thumbs up cause this is surely no cash grab with all the work that has gotten into the it
im out peace

Curator page here--> DaRevieweD #27 <-- New review every Sunday
I have never played a horror game that was not solely advertised or capitalized itself as being of that genre. Perhaps the closest would be "Gone Home", but I was younger then and couldn't grasp what went on all that well. I should probably revisit that experience...
But I digress, this "horror of non-horror" was what Indie developer "The Astronauts" did by labeling the Vanishing of Ethan Carter as being first and foremost, a mystery for players to unfold. The latter being emphasized as the devs even came up with a vision to evolve the way a story is told through video games. All interesting, but it's better to see how this was executed. Shall we?
"Holding on"
The Gist:
Paul Prospero receives a distress letter from Ethan Carter telling him to go to Red Creek Valley. A renowned detective with skills and knowledge of the paranormal, it didn't take much of its contents to confirm something was wrong. Fearing the worst, he travels there in hopes of stopping whatever was about to happen. But it seems that it has already begun and Ethan is nowhere in sight amidst the carnage.
! There is no right or wrong answer to this story.
PROS;
(a) Aftermath
The first few seconds introduce you to the mechanic of having to piece together several faint fragments of a memory. The murder scene reconstruction sequences also require something similar. Except that you have to inspect clues, see thoughts materialize and heighten your senses towards the origins of an object used for the deed. Only after figuring out how each item came to be, the deceased will lay out the events.
Even then, it's solely up to your deductions to number them leading to the murder. It's not all CSI- the rest of the game is actually 'optional' and require puzzles to be solved to unlock more memories. It could be as simple as catching up with a mysterious visitor or recalling what Ethan's house looks like and etc. I won't spoil the rest, but it's quite varied despite simple first person mechanics.
(b) What Could Have Been
Very intriguing story from the get go and pulls you in with mysteries all tied in to Ethan's disappearance. There's mention of the "Sleeper" and being an occult-based detective you expect to deal with more supernatural occurrences.. This is where expectations are subverted and interpretations differ. Ethan has been putting up with neglect and belittled by his family for his hyperactive imagination. Memories uncovered show they made fun of or showed disinterest every time he offers them a story to read. Everyone except maybe for Chad and Travis really get off on bullying- has their own pressing issues to deal.
His obsession in writing stories is therefore a form of escapism. This whole journey is his way of denying death and expressing regret. Making his family out to be the way they are because of a disturbed entity. Hoping for them to change but the quarrel moments before the accidental fire broke out is proof enough it's not that easy.
(c) Not What It Looks Like
I never say this, but man alive the graphics deserve high praises. In fact the immersion is astounding with it's atmosphere established by the overly cinematic soundtrack and level design. The musical vibes shift from a constant air of mystery to much deeper melancholic feels and stays pretty much there. I usually suck at appreciating music (unless it's popping and of the pop genre) but I could not keep myself away from the game or of the increasingly somber sounds.
As for the environments, they do not seem at all like one that belongs in or made solely for a game particularly because of how ordinary they appear to be. This may be because they were based on real-life locations in Wisconsin and also Poland. That and both the words of Ethan as well as Paul of not being deceived by looks, only intensified the very raw and real possibility of similar happenings in everyday life anywhere and anytime.
(d) The Thought Alone
Horror-wise, like the store page says it doesn't rely on cheap or adrenaline-pumping scenarios. Nothing is intense or high-stakes and the jump scares are almost non-existent except for a certain typical slasher scene in the mines. Some gore, blood and dismemberment aside, the rest of the game let's your mind and fears run wild.
What haunts is the constant dread of the worst case imaginable happening to Ethan, a teenage boy who you grow to sympathize with. Every clue hints at more hopeless situation. Worsening once you know the truth, plunging a stake through your heart because of *GASP* an open-ended outcome!! Jokes aside, the story of a torn household, abuse and the drastic effects it could have on mental well-being hits so close to home.
CONS;
(i) Expectations VS Reality
I first finished the story on the original iteration which has frequent stutters. Not a problem, thankfully because buying the game comes with "Redux", an upgraded version of "The Vanishing of Ethan Carter". With a game engine overhaul, visual improvements and of course fixes the little pauses prevalent before.
It's not all great news because even though the latter runs smoothly, it doesn't retain the charm of the OG seeing as it became noticeably brighter and the colors washed out to be more dream-like (I'm beyond awful when talking about graphics). If you wouldn't mind that, I also realized that Redux fixed a specific progression issue connected to an achievement, so there you go! But ultimately, it all comes down to preference~
(ii) Just A Kid
Okay this game wasn't kidding when it said it won't hold your hands. You can literally play to the end and get stuck because you didn't finish the necessary equivalent of "story quests" before reaching the conclusion. Aside from button prompts, there's little perhaps zero voice-guided hints that will trigger, so expect tons of silence and aimlessly wandering.
A nice addition to the game that doesn't exactly spoonfeed but instead keeps track of all the notes collected. Any readable notes stay where you find them. If you want to peruse them again, expect to backtrack miles (bad at math) to examine their contents that takes 30 seconds to go through.
(iii) It'll Come to Me
There's a fast travel option but only at the final area of the game for those who missed the presumably optional eventually required events in order to view the ending. Furthermore, you still have to return to the final area in order to teleport to the other important areas (because you won't know where). However, I do tend to exaggerate things as there is an elevator shortcut and Paul does run remarkably fast. Besides, there's the breathtaking scenery- how much of a torture could it be?
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter accomplished what it set out to do; a paradigm shift towards storytelling, going above and beyond. Its absolutely gut-wrenching plot about a dysfunctional family and a kid who always bore the brunt of it. The fact such tragedies takes place in a photo-realistic setting just amps up the truth of the conflict and overall message conveyed.
Make no mistake- it's still a walking simulator with tidbits of gameplay wedged in. Coupled with lack of conventional game mechanics or interface to aid in finding his bearings- definitely won't satisfy everyone. However, one cannot deny it's a darn devastating yet memorable journey laced with interpretation and heartfelt emotions.
"Letting Go."
9/10
Playing this in VR (PAY UP) would be quite the surreal experience

I was fully invested in the actual story and light puzzles, which drew me right in, but I was equally invested in walking around in the nature or abandoned houses, along the railroad tracks or the dirt paths and swiveling, stepping & positioning myself perfectly in line with bountiful detailing and realistic lighting to capture wonderful screen caps to be later used as wallpapers.
I used to walk around with my unwieldy camera and take pictures of things all the time. That was years ago.
Now it's games like The Vanishing of Ethan Carter that give me the same sense of foreboding brilliance of nature engulfing detailed remainders of decrepid man-made elements around me. And I start taking photos and enjoying the surroundings through the lens of my "camera". Just like I used to do in real life.
I enjoy walking around in nature... in games. It's nature minus the mosquitoes. Also, I get to visit other parts of the globe and different looking areas of nature, that I can't where I actually live IRL.
That's my twisted technologically warped relationship with nature - kinda like my parents, I appreciate it a lot, but rarely visit. But in games I often stop and take in the sights and sounds, move about, grab some screencaps, draw strength from the beauty of the brilliance of nature around my character - in an artificial world. Oh the humanity! Oh the technology.
Do some games have an element of art in them? Absolutely. That is subjective, of course. But then, art always is.
What I mean to say is, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a good exploration mystery game and a beautiful representation of nature.
My score: 10 classically idyllic sunset photographs out of 10.

The scenarios are beautiful; the gameplay is simple and the system to identify the clues is unusual, making the game a great and beautiful puzzle that you always want to fit a new piece. Each situation is unique and has very interesting and fun outcomes to see
Focused entirely on exploration and its narrative, with a captivating mystery and beautiful scenarios, the game lacks an obtuse progression and a very slow pace. However, if you want an uncommon experience, far from what you are used to seeing in current games, this game is an excellent choice.
OVERALL SCORE: 7/10

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is one of those games I like to think about and remember back to every now and then. There is so much sentimentality and feeling tied to this game for me. Red Creek Valley is a place I would like to live in or visit once in a while in real life. It's so magical, peaceful, quiet, lonely, normal and yet mysterious. I find myself wandering around Red Creek Valley without a goal, just absorbing the beauty and tranquility of the place. Everytime I enter Red Creek Valley, I don't want to leave. At this point this game is like an old silent friend to me who doesn't need words to make me feel and experience beautiful things. The soundtrack is amazing (made by the same guy who made the witcher 3 soundtracks apparently). The voice acting is also pretty good especially the voice actor of Paul Prospero. Story is intriguing and mysterious. Gameplay would probably be the only lacking thing in this game. The majority of the puzzles to progress the story aren't compelling, fun and complex enough. I don't mind as I absolutely adore this game, but If were to pinpoint a flaw, this would be it. For me, this game is a part of the holy trinity of great beautiful indie story driven games. What Remains of Edith Finch, Firewatch, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.
I genuinely love this game with my whole heart
5/5
*Added to my favourite games ever collection*