[SPOILERS] Loved It Up To The End

[Horrordoc]

The "twist" of the drunk driving just killed it for me. Became more of a PSA than a horror game. I figured the second and third stories were connected to aliens or something (which would've been more horror based, at least to me) but the The Last Sessions just sucked all the mystery and horror out of it for me. First story is the best, by far.

I still really enjoyed the game itself. I think I would've enjoyed independent, unconnected stories, more than a single overarcing narrative though. There's nothing horrifying about a reckless decision.

How much did he even drink, actually? The way it plays out he has like two, maybe three drinks? Talk about a lightweight.

Regardless, a fun game, with great immersion, marred by an unstaisfying conclusion for me.

[gratata]

Agree. I liked the way they wove the stories into each other, but the denoument and the "guilt" you were supposed to feel was contrived and just made me feel annoyed at what had been a brilliant game.

[Schieka]

Good god I thought I was the only one that felt that the end killed it for me. I was fully immersed until that happened. Just really let down that it came to that...it reminded me of Creep Show and Tales from the Darkside movies I used to watch so long ago and it felt amazing especially episode 2 one of my favorites. But man...then that happened..I do hope that if they make a sequel it is more horror based rather than...well..that ending. Another PSA..

[ben_reck]

Agreed. I didn't want to go on a "guilt trip." I stopped loving it, though, mostly, in episode 3. It is beyond me how typing in lines of code (again and again) qualifies as fun.

[catgirlforeskin]

Am I the only one who liked it? To me, that's far scarier than if it had been linked to aliens, or monsters.

[OtakuCODE]

I disagree with those who would have found aliens or something similar scarier. Facing being responsible for something so reprehensible and that killed someone you love and destroyed your life, having no one to blame but yourself... that would be more terrifying than any alien.

[Daneel]

Was a great game right up until episode 4. I really don't enjoy finding out I paid for a game to play the part of an ill criminal tbh. Kind of ruined it. Hope the devs get a good run out of this one; won't be back to them.

[catgirlforeskin]

Originally posted by OtakuCODE:

I disagree with those who would have found aliens or something similar scarier. Facing being responsible for something so reprehensible and that killed someone you love and destroyed your life, having no one to blame but yourself... that would be more terrifying than any alien.

completely agree

[Fish-Pilot]

I'm in the end ruined it camp. They spent so much time building up the sci-fi atmosphere (and doing it really well!) that when it was revealed to be an all in your head thing it was just a big let down. All of that for a sermon. Oh, it's wrong to drink and drive? Thanks, because I didn't know that.

[lotuspulse]

I completely disagree.
The BEST part of this game's story is that it isn't a dime a dozen horror trope game, but a completely and utterly *mundane* horror. This game would be 50x worse if it was just yet another alien invasion or spooky government conspiracy.

[akumajobelmont]

Except that 'mundane' horror is totally a trope by now. If you've watched a horror movie in the last 5 years, mental illness/deep-seeded guilt over stuff like this is pretty much a crutch. It IS a dime a dozen these days, and is, by-and-large, the laziest way you could possibly end a horror film. It's up there with 'but it was all a dream'. In any case, the ending was pretty much Dear Esther all over again. I loved that game, but that story has already been told.

Anyways, I just finished it, and I wanted to see if it was just me who felt utterly disappointed by the way Episode 4 wrapped things up.

It's a shame for me, personally, because Stories Untold had me utterly fascinated. I was ready to declare it my favourite game of the year until that ending. Episode Three was brilliant. I thought we were gonna go down some Lovecraft-kinda hole, or down some other path - I really wasn't sure. And the Numbers Stations stuff was something I personally haven't seen attempted in a creepy game before. I flipped when I realised that they were in the game.

I was totally in character for 3/4 of the game, until the game very forcibly severed that connection. I just can't relate to the ending. It was too specific a stance to have taken, and though the subject matter was dark and not without merit, it felt forced. It's not something I would do even consider doing, let alone have done before, even in a general sense. To have so much mystery, then to wrap it up with such a convenient bow was always going to be divisive. Either you'll appreciate the ending and the sentiment behind it, or you'll instantly lose that connection because it very suddenly clashes with your ideals. Either way though, you're not that character any more. Considering how clever and unique everything that had gone before it went, it was pretty disappointing.

I'd still recommend a playthrough to almost anybody, on the proviso that you're ok the ending undoes all the mystery and wonder that went before it.

I'm not against games going down this road. Messages can be good, and when they're done well, it IS thought provoking. Stories Untold didn't nail the ending though, it was too neat, too tidy, and cliche. The game wouldn't need to resort to aliens or conspiracies either, but throwing a couple of magazines and a video down on a table to explain the bulk of the game you've played up until that point kinda renders most of the experience meaningless.

Absolutely loved it. Until Episode 4. If you loved the ending, then that's cool. You're not wrong in your own assessment of the game. Just wanted to chime in with why it didn't work for me personally.

[Kaechos]

I just realised that this is really similar to Firewatch.

The whole game makes you think it's about something outlandish (this game aliens, Firewatch grand goverment conspiracy) and in the end it turns out it is just people hiding from their problems with their imagination running amuck.

And there seems to be the same reception as with Firewatch with people being disappointed that the game is in the end not about some conspiracy or alien robots

[Feesh]

I didn't really care for the last episode either. I really enjoyed the first one, and I really enjoyed manipulating all of the retro lab equipment and solving the codes in chapters 2&3. If you're looking for something similar, I would give Black Watchmen a try.

[Pink Slime]

Originally posted by Feesh:

I didn't really care for the last episode either. I really enjoyed the first one, and I really enjoyed manipulating all of the retro lab equipment and solving the codes in chapters 2&3. If you're looking for something similar, I would give Black Watchmen a try.

Me too, I love the previous three chapters and actually don't care about the last episode. Even there is no connection between the stories, I still enjoy the game very much. Heck, there is no need to wove them into one big story- just tiny bits it's okay for me. Each episode has told different, untold stories. I don't feel the need to read the bigger picture.

Very immersive game and adorable gameplay. Tetris has no stories either but it has nice gameplay, doesn't it?

[DeadlyDanDaMan]

Terrible ending. You find out you are just some punk kid who drives drunk and gets his sister killed. That will IMMEDIATELY turn off 99.9% of your players when they find that out, because all sense of connection and empathy will go right out the window. NOBODY wants to play as that kind of person. Absolutely HORRIBLE writing decision by the Dev's.

[Feesh]

Originally posted by DeadlyDanDaMan:

Terrible ending. You find out you are just some punk kid who drives drunk and gets his sister killed. That will IMMEDIATELY turn off 99.9% of your players when they find that out, because all sense of connection and empathy will go right out the window. NOBODY wants to play as that kind of person. Absolutely HORRIBLE writing decision by the Dev's.

What made it most disappointing to me was that you couldn't change anything. You pickup clues as to what happened as you go through the game. It would have been neat to be able to alter the ending or unlock a 'good' ending for observant players.

Edit: Changed some spelling. Observive. What was I thinking?