I know I'm going to eat a ton of flack for this...

[Nivek Ogre]

...and I know it has probably been asked a million times, but here goes.

What. Am I. Playing.

I'm not concerned (yet) with the "jank" or the inscrutable plot or translation, I'm concerned with logic. As in....start game, get beaten and stabbed, talk to the two "crow" people, move around some, cutscene of a crowd chasing me over a fence until I come to a door and knock on it, and...

...I'm in a room. With kids. Who won't speak. And nothing there to do.

I'm interested. My curiosity is piqued!!! But I want to know, is this a game that can be "reasoned out" or does it absolutely require a guide open in a browser tab at all times to be played?

[Heikai]

Guide is not necessary. I completed the game without any guides. My tips are:
1. Check out the controls in the settings menu. It's easy to miss important commands like L is for letters for example.
2. Probably start with the Bachelor because his campaign is a more accessible intro to the game.
3. I don't want to unnecessarily spoil things but let's just say that it's important to loot bins and trade.
4. Try talking to characters multiple times in a row in order to not miss important dialogue.
5. If you end up not liking the game I would still recommend checking Pathologic 2 which is a modern remake of this game. Everything is redesigned but the core ideas and plot are still there.

[GenSec39]

1. As to the translation, in HD it was done properly with a help of professionals. English is not my native language, but I suppose it can be called very good.

2. I think you started the game with Haruspex (Burakh). If you are new to this game, starting as him is very hard. Locals think that you are murderer, thus, expect only hostility and nobody will bother to explain you anything. This is why I recommend to start the game as Bachelor - still challenging for a newcomer but much more easier. He is an outsider and well respected man - you will be in good relations will locals. And they won't try to kill you.

3. I do not want to tell you how you should play, but I strictly recommend you not to approach any guides. It will just break the experience and ruin a lot of mysteries. The game doesn't put it's cards on the table - that's for sure. But it still tells you a lot. Explore everything yourself. You have 3 characters ahead with absolutely unique story for everyone, so why not to try at least one without any tips? On my 1st walkthroug I made many mistakes and even had to restart, and not even once. But that was sweet experience, and I would not like to replace this time with some instructions from the guide.

Thus no, guide in browser is not required to play the game.

[Nivek Ogre]

Thanks guys. After playing a bit more, I'm not sure that's true though. For example...
-I gave away a bottle of water for free to a man because I didn't know (and the game doesn't tell you) that it's *five* bottles of water for one bandage.
-I'm sort of clueless on where to get food, water, how to make money (beyond doing things for...someone. Somewhere. Sometime.)

I AM enjoying the weird tone of the game, but the mechanics seem...kinda poorly explained, in a way that could really cost me sooner rather than later.

[GenSec39]

Why would you want to give someone anything for free?
On the first place should be your surviveability. On the the second - your mission and your adherents. That's kinda it.

Besides - the game does tell you how much it costs. When you put cursor on the item in NPC's inventory you get a price. I suppose it's better to call it "value" here. So first you put your bottles in barter menu to reach "value" 5, than you take his bondage which costs 5. And then you chose "V" in upper right corner to confirm the deal. Easy. Just make sure that you chose his item before confirming the deal.

As to money. Just as you said: the key source of money for most of the game as Bachelor is doing things for someone, somewhere, sometime. You can't start any business here for infinite money and there is no way for easy grind. All resources are limited. Want to get more? Do all quests and the most important - EXPLORE. Just reach the day 2. You will see that money is among the least of your problems.

As to water... well, you already managed to get some? Find empty bottles first, then fill the with water in barrels. You don't need water to survive, use it for barter.

As to food... it's kinda tricky for the start... did you check food stores? With red bull head above the door? Later on you will also meet NPCs who give food, so you can barter with them. There is also one great way to get food... unconventonal way... you realise that town folk stores food in their houses right? S-so....

[Nivek Ogre]

Originally posted by GenSec39:

Why would you want to give someone anything for free?
On the first place should be your surviveability. On the the second - your mission and your adherents. That's kinda it.

Besides - the game does tell you how much it costs. When you put cursor on the item in NPC's inventory you get a price. I suppose it's better to call it "value" here. So first you put your bottles in barter menu to reach "value" 5, than you take his bondage which costs 5. And then you chose "V" in upper right corner to confirm the deal. Easy. Just make sure that you chose his item before confirming the deal.

As to money. Just as you said: the key source of money for most of the game as Bachelor is doing things for someone, somewhere, sometime. You can't start any business here for infinite money and there is no way for easy grind. All resources are limited. Want to get more? Do all quests and the most important - EXPLORE. Just reach the day 2. You will see that money is among the least of your problems.

As to water... well, you already managed to get some? Find empty bottles first, then fill the with water in barrels. You don't need water to survive, use it for barter.

As to food... it's kinda tricky for the start... did you check food stores? With red bull head above the door? Later on you will also meet NPCs who give food, so you can barter with them. There is also one great way to get food... unconventonal way... you realise that town folk stores food in their houses right? S-so....

I have been to several houses and haven't seen any way to "steal" anything like food yet but will keep looking.

[Nivek Ogre]

Honestly I'm starting to think the game is exactly what I thought it was; inscrutable to the point of needing some kind of "helper" guide to be enjoyable. I dunno...I really dunno. It feels like I'm playing an intriguing and clever game that, ultimately, ends up crumbling under bad design decisions and a bit too much pretentious hogwash.
The issue I'm seeing is that, by all accounts, I die if I don't...accomplish a certain thing by the end of Day 1 (trying to avoid spoilers). It's already 14:30 of Day 1 and I've spent a decent amount of time noodling around trying to understand basic things like the UI and how to get food and water and...well if I fail and die, do I start all over again from the very beginning?
...because that would be annoying enough for me to quit the game.

[rickfiltered]

at least in my case, theres a lot of having to load old saves. It looks like you started on the Haruspex, which is basically hard mode. If you decide to restart and give it another shot, pick the Bachelor. Hes new in town, so people will explain things to him and give directions, and you wont start the game with a stab wound. For reference, q=your current quests, p=character status, L= letters you may get, M=map (this is necessary), tab shows you your hands, i=inventory. it looks like you figured out trading the hard way

[Nivek Ogre]

Originally posted by rickfiltered:

at least in my case, theres a lot of having to load old saves. It looks like you started on the Haruspex, which is basically hard mode. If you decide to restart and give it another shot, pick the Bachelor. Hes new in town, so people will explain things to him and give directions, and you wont start the game with a stab wound. For reference, q=your current quests, p=character status, L= letters you may get, M=map (this is necessary), tab shows you your hands, i=inventory. it looks like you figured out trading the hard way

Aye I restarted with the Bachelor. I'm going to restart again, one last time, because now I know you can't really just wander around looking at things and exploring; the game is one big timed quest. I hate timed quests.

[DoopForces]

You started playing as the 2nd character? Start playing with the 1st one, the Bachelor.

The 2nd character is kind of the "next level".