The Sinking City
New gameplay for The Sinking City dives further into the detective gameplay of The Sinking City and how we will be on our own for the most part
It has been one long wait until we received something new for The Sinking City but we are back with a new look at the game and how the detective and investigation parts of the game will handle. Well, more how the biggest part of the game will handle as Frogwares is making another investigation style game. This one is just steeped in the H. P. Lovecraft and Cthulhu mythologies that have been making the rounds as of late. This is not a bad thing at all, but it is worth noting as it looks like The Sinking City will be taking a deeper dive into it like only one other title as of late. The cosmic horrors will not just be set dressing for something else is what I am getting at here.
As it could have been assumed, The Sinking City will not be "holding your hand" during the game and we will need to use our own skills to progress through the game. At least as it looks for the detective and investigation parts of the game. It would be weird to stumble across the core story parts of the game randomly or on accident as we are wandering for the next thing. Just about the way it should be in games like this as we should be rewarded for keeping our own wits about us and actually use our eyes. Just a nice little extra challenge for The Sinking City is how it looks and it is welcome.
It also looks like clues and items will not always be as present in The Sinking City and we will need to use various other in-game skills to uncover everything. Obvious clues like murder weapons or dropped items will be visible in general, but there will also be the need to use some of the "mystical" arts to find other clues in the area. All using the game's "Mind's Eye" mechanic to see things that are not normally visible. The video does a better job of showing how that works in The Sinking City. I am just glad to see that other detectives and police will be able to aid or hinder as you search for clues. All to make the world feel a bit more alive than anything. It is a nice little touch in my eyes.
The Sinking City — Detective Gameplay
Frogwares, the team behind The Sinking City — the upcoming story-rich, free investigation horror game set in a heavily inspired H.P Lovecraft universe — have released a new trailer.
The video highlights the inner-workings of the game’s unique investigation system and how it forces players to truly think, deduct and make their own (possibly the wrong) conclusions rather than just follow convenient waypoint markers.
The investigation system in The Sinking City is built around one core principle — NO HAND HOLDING.
There are no objectives on the map or straightforward quests. No magic waypoint markers automatically telling you where to go or search. Playing as the troubled detective Charles W. Reed, you will need to piece together the mystery yourself finding clues, locations and suspects using cunning and the few tools at hand.
Spot obscure details on the evidence with the help of your “Mind’s Eye”. Reimagine the events that took place on a crime scene with “Retrocognition”. Follow “The Omens” to reveal what’s unseen to an ordinary detective. Utilize “Archives” within the City Hall, Police Station, Library and other facilities to piece together the troubled history of Oakmont, and finally — cross-reference all known facts within your “Mind Palace” to come to your conclusion.
Did you expect to have The Sinking City hold your hand through investigations or does this go about par the course for the developer? Do you see yourself playing through multiple times to be able to piece everything together or will there be an option to do it all in one play? Do you suspect more of the people in the game will be standoffish than helpful? Let us all know what you are thinking down in the comments and then feel free to discuss. When there is more to share or find out for The Sinking City, we will have it here for you. Even if that means we are "holding your hand" through understanding what we are going to be getting into.
