Examination of the last stop - stuck in traffic

Examination of the last stop

Interactive dramas have a niche appeal. Some even find it difficult to qualify the kind of game due to the sparse and limited gameplay, while others spring from the narrative experience. Variable State, the talented people who brought you Virginia, seek to explore new horizons with their latest outing, Last Stop. Presented as an anthology, made up of three distinct but intertwined stories, will this daring outing will seduce more than aficionados?

Each of the mini-series is divided into six chapters with stories with distinct tones. Although you can select and continue one or the other story, the same chapter of each must be finished to progress. This beautiful approach to Netflix style narration is fascinating, helping to create a format worthy of the frenzy that will allow you to invest in each narrative aspect.

Paper Dolls, my favorite of the three, follows a single father of average age who fights with the pressures of daily life. During one of his disorganized mornings, he met his opposite polar neighbor who shares the same family name. Precipitating themselves, they hit a strange person in the London metro who performs a kind of Freaky Friday magic, setting up an intriguing and humorous story.

Unlike playful paper dolls, domestic affairs, a gravelly drama on a cold mother, calculated and focused on career. Unfaithful to her husband and placing her career before parental duties, this story puts you in the shoes of an insensitive woman in the running to receive a career opportunity. However, after discovering that a colleague is considered for the same position, a story of conspiracy and deception follows.

Inspired by children centered on children such as Stranger Things, Stranger Danger focuses on the lives of three high school students. By browsing the streets of London, one of the members of the trio explains a strange event they have noticed. A mysterious person took civilians in his apartment and we have never seen them again. With a heavy weight of suspicion, they only investigate to be caught up, accidentally kidnapping the alleged perpetrator.

The stories overlap and unite with a global final chapter. Although each story understands a supernatural element, this is countered by strong and realistic characters. As a result, I was invested in the protagonists and their relations with the supporting roles. Informal conversations seemed natural, helping to ensure that each character feels rounded. The obviously British tone has been impeccably implemented. The turns of sentences and the ways of cockney help anchor the game in its context. While the majority of the story has been well told, the final plunges more deeply into science fiction, spoiling what could have been a great story.

Similar to Quantic Dream and Telltale Games, you will venture into linear environments from semi-static angles, which will help add a cinematographic sensation to the game. However, the clumsy and clumsy controls that afflict these titles are always present here. There are beautiful moments when variable state plays with the narrative structure of the scenes. In a case, a group of people is around a table to discuss a plan with special schedules. Intercut are the scenes that take place, adding a pleasant rhythm to the sequence.

The choice and the consequence are at the center of most games of the genre. Not only does this add weight to each decision, but it also adds to the replayability of the game because you can modify the characters' path and discover a new narrative arc. Unfortunately, this is not the case with last stop. With only a handful of decisions that affect the story, this is not the story with several branches that you may dream of. This removes the choices of conversation and gives the impression that you are only shaping the character rather than desiring his future. I would have preferred a little more variety with dialogue options because most of them felt quite similar. Although they all felt in accordance with what the character would say, the lack of various options made the decisions not relevant.

The score has been well implemented and feels online with television dramas. Although sometimes dubbing seems a little amateur, overall, it is strong enough to give personality to each character. Similar to many Telltale games, visuals have an impression of comics about them. The extras dotted in the background of the scenes are faceless giving a strange feeling of discomfort during the sequences.

The approach of narration based on the anthology of Last Stop is excellent and helps you to remain engaged throughout. Even if your choices do not really have an impact on history, it is a beautiful trip that tackles interesting themes. Unfortunately, the conclusion is disappointing because it plunges a little too far into the field of science fiction. Regardless of this, the anchored characters and the interesting actors are worth meeting. _ Playstation key provided by the editor _