Author: Jose

“Firewatch” Liveblog: Opening Sequence

So I believe that I just finished the opening sequence of the game. It basically gives us a backstory on Henry, the main character of the game. We see that his wife, Delilah, suffers from what appears to be early onset dementia. Having to care for a person with dementia, Alzheimer’s, or any debilitating disease is unfortunately something that many people around the world have to go through. Incorporating this into the plot can help players identify with the protagonist, something that will increase the amount of emotions toward the game.  With this information, we know more about his personal life and his intentions for taking a job as a fire watcher.

Taking into consideration that outcomes can be chosen by the player, it is safe to assume that there will be different outcomes depending on how you answer questions. This gameplay kind of relates to Gone Home, where one can’t actually change the ending of the game itself but can control how they get there, so player A’s experience is going to be a little different from player B’s. I am assuming that no matter what, the ending will be the same for everyone, but it would be interesting to see alternative endings.

“Firewatch” Liveblog

So I’m about to start to play Firewatch and liveblog my experience while playing said game. I’m kind of expecting a slow game but am excited to see if there are any interesting plot twists that will catch me off guard. I’ll be back to liveblog my thoughts after I finish the opening sequence. See you then.

 

 

The “Gone Home” Experience

 

www.mergegames.com

 Knowing that it was important to truly immerse myself in the game, I waited until 2 a.m. and put on a pair of headphones to begin the adventure that was Gone Home. Set in a dark, large house with continuous sounds of thunder and rain throughout the course of the entire game, it is no doubt waiting until 2 a.m. to play the game was a mistake. I had a weird feeling during the entire game that something in the game was going to attack me.

The “Gone Home” Experience

It was interesting to find about the characters little by little by reading letters and different objects found throughout the house. Even the slightest detail, such as the songs on the tapes found throughout the house tells us about the characters personality. I found that to be a very interesting way to introduce us to the characters and  the actual plot of the game, not by just handing the information over to us but making the player work his way around the house to find out what comes next.

To be honest, it was kind of a bummer that nothing really happened at the end. I kept on waiting for something to happen or for some kind of revelation to come my way that would permanently affect my ability to sleep but nothing like that ever came and I was able to sleep like a baby that night.

Overall, it was a great game that plays around with your senses and emotions to deliver a solid experience.

 

My Avatar

Fuerte El Morro en el Antiguo San Juan, Puerto Rico, al atardecer (Fort El Morro in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, overlooking the ocean at sunset)

I decided to make my avatar a photo of El Morro, a fort in Puerto Rico built by Spain in 1539 to help the island defend itself from attacking forces. This photo of El Morro overlooking the Atlantic Ocean encompasses the beauty of the island in which I was born and raised.

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