[GAME] The Long Dark Review

Developer: Hinterland Studio Inc.

Publisher: Hinterland Studio Inc.

Genre: Adventure, Indie, Simulation, Strategy

Platform: Linux, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Xbox One, PlayStation 4

Release date: 1 Aug, 2017

Find the game here: http://store.steampowered.com/app/305620/The_Long_Dark

The Long Dark is an unforgiving exploration / survival title that leaves you feeling alone and vulnerable in the beautiful frozen wilderness in the wake of a global geomagnetic disaster. This game offers a unique and atmospheric solo experience where you are forced to fight against the odds to survive against the elements as well as the local wildlife.

The game offers a story mode called Wintermute which is a fantastic five-part journey. The story kicks off with a plane crash survivor that ends up stranded in the vast Canadian wilderness. You are thrown into a much needed survival tutorial which teaches you vital tips and tricks which you must take forth to survive in this world. The rest of the story is generally quite good with a well thought out plot, but it doesn’t match to the same level of harshness as the sandbox mode.

I have to admit, I have never played a game that genuinely makes you feel completely helpless and vulnerable in the way that The Long Dark does. This is truly survival at its core. There are many other games that are also labelled as survival that are put to shame by this stunning example of the genre. However, that's not to say that this is a frustration free game, because it’s really not.

You must constantly be aware of a number of factors that cater for your overall well-being. These include hunger, thirst, temperature and tiredness which all seem to dissipate rather quickly, making your fight for survival even tougher. The looting feels very natural and unfair with some buildings containing a single granola bar, if you're lucky... Food, drink and clothing items also have a degrading system which forces you to either use ‘em or lose ‘em.

The game has a unique cartoon(ish) style which looks incredible on the whole, but some items can lack any real defining features. But, for the most part the game is gorgeous with plenty of serene views to take your thoughts away from the desperate times you will have to face. My personal favourites include the sunsets, sunrises and the auroras that illuminate the darkness. I mean... look at it!

The gameplay is smooth and very enjoyable for the most part and is accompanied by an array of beautiful sounds and music which really enhance the games survival atmosphere. The user interface feels somewhat lacking and over complicated. When you’ve collected enough items it feels a bit of a chore searching through finding the necessary items, although you can use the in game selection wheel if you’d rather avoid it.

Exploring this landscape can feel like a chore at times with buildings and loot hard to come by. The buildings can range from small tents / huts to large multilevel complexes but all of them feel naturally positioned. The loot can be anything from an extra pair of woolly socks to a much sought after bed roll.

The first couple of hours feel quite brutal, to say the least, but after some toing and froing and a fair amount of trial and error, the game finally becomes understandable for simpletons like me, and thus, you can move on with a fighting chance as you venture deeper into the tundra.

The Long Dark is unique, and this has been the hardest game to review for me so far because of that reason. It is so unique in its brutal and frustrating survival style that it lacks anything to compare to in terms of gameplay, although a lot of the included mechanics are shared with games within this genre. The game does what it aims to do exceptionally well and for that reason it feels quite empty. But it is the tundra, of course it’s going to be empty and unforgiving.

They’ve really portrayed this experience well and if you’re up for a challenge then you’ll absolutely love it! If you’re easily frustrated or thrive on instruction, then this one isn’t for you. For a full price of £26.99 (or regional equivalent), it’s quite the investment, but if you spot this on sale, it’s definitely worth a try!

The Long Dark – 7.5 out of 10