Info about Eternal Threads: Official game description: Warning ======= This game contains flashing lights and images from the very beginning which may not be suitable for those suffering from photosensitive epilepsy and other similar conditions. Player discretion is advised. About the Game ============== Eternal Threads is a single-player, first-person story-driven puzzle game of time manipulation, choice and consequence. As an operative tasked with fixing corruption in the timestream, you have been sent to the North of England in May 2015, where six people died in a house fire. Prohibited from simply stopping the fire, you must instead manipulate the choices made by the housemates in the week leading up to it so that they all survive the event. From the outset, you have free and complete reign to explore the seven day timeline before the fire. You can watch and alter the significant events from the entire week as many times as you like and in whatever order you wish. Some decisions will have only minor effects on the timeline, moving objects around the house or revealing deeper stories and secrets. Major changes however, rewrite the timeline by changing existing events, adding new events and even replacing other events entirely. You must traverse up and down this timeline, changing decisions at different moments throughout the week so that their effects interact and combine together to save all six housemates. However, it is not just the housemates who have choices. Each of them can be saved from the fire in multiple ways, with each outcome having a profound effect on their lives in the future. Will you just search for the quickest and easiest solution, or can you find the best possible outcome for everyone? Ultimately, everything is about choices and consequences. Features -------- Choose how you want to follow the game’s story ---------------------------------------------- The complete narrative follows the six main characters through multiple decisions across multiple timelines and you can experience these in any way you choose. You can concentrate on just one particular character’s storyline at a time, following their choices across the timelines and then go back to the start and follow another character. You can approach the story like a forensic detective, observe the final outcomes of the story and then work backwards along the timeline – essentially observing the effects and then determining their cause. Or you can just watch things in chronological order, experiencing the timeline unfold as you observe and change the decisions that the characters face as the week progresses. Watch and change things as many times as you like ------------------------------------------------- Can’t remember exactly what happened in an event? Changed a decision and you’re not sure you like the consequences? That’s fine. Just pop back along the timeline and watch and change whatever you like, whenever you like, as many times as you like. Change the past to affect the future ------------------------------------ Setting up temporary base in the house mere hours after the fire, provides a unique perspective on events. As you look back through the timeline, past events play out in front of you in ghostly form, with the smoke and fire damaged house a constant reminder of what is to come. In addition, as you manipulate the past, the environment can be reset around you to match the changes taking place. Some new objects will appear, others will move around the house and the contents of rooms can change substantially as you change the past. Release date: May 19, 2022 Categories: Single-player, First-Person Perspective, Story-driven Gameplay, Time Manipulation, Choice-based Narrative, Branching Narrative, Character-driven Narrative, Puzzle Solving - Hardware Profile: No data Feature extractions: - Community Price: - Community fair range: $10.00 - $20.00 - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that the community generally finds the game worth purchasing when it is on sale, with specific mentions of prices around $10 and $15 being fair. The highest suggested price when not on sale is $20, indicating that the community considers this the upper limit of a fair price. The lower end is supported by mentions of the game being a good deal at $3.99 and $10. - Playtime Metrics: - Game completion: 10.0h - Story completion: 7.0h - Session length: 3.0h - Endgame: N/A - Reasoning: The evidence provides several direct mentions of playtime. One user mentions taking 'knappe 10 Stunden' (just under 10 hours) to finish the game, which aligns with the typical game completion time. Another user mentions a playtime of 25+ hours, but this includes writing a guide and multiple playthroughs, which is an outlier. Another user reports finishing the game in about 6.5 hours, which is on the shorter side but still relevant. The reasoning for session length is less direct but can be inferred from users mentioning they played the game in one sitting or over a few hours. - Time-to-fun: - Summary: The game starts off slow and tedious but becomes more engaging as players progress and become more invested in the story and characters. - Stance: Clicks after - Anchor: Investment in story and characters - Time to anchor: 2h 0m - Friction: Repetitive tasks; Slow pacing; Remembering many characters - Unlock drivers: Story progression; Character development - Conditions: Patience for slow pacing; Interest in story and characters - Player Archetypes: - Narrative-Driven Time Weaver (buy) - Motivation: Engaging story and complex timelines. - Playstyle: Explores different narrative paths and enjoys the voyeuristic style of storytelling. - Experience: familiar - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: story lover; narrative-driven player - Reference games: Life is Strange; Zero Escape; Detroit: Become Human; Tacoma; Her Story - Budget-Conscious Story Seeker (sale) - Motivation: Value for money and engaging story. - Playstyle: Enjoys story-driven games but is cautious about spending. - Experience: mixed - Purchase stance: sale - Labels: budget gamer; sale hunter - Reference games: Detroit: Become Human; Tacoma - Cautious Critic (deep sale) - Motivation: Thoughtful and critical evaluation of games. - Playstyle: Analyzes and critiques games based on various aspects. - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: deep sale - Labels: critical player; analytical gamer - Reference games: Tacoma; Return of the Obra Dinn Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category. Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews. What players like: - Engaging story and characters (weight 0.57): The game features a rich and well-executed story with engaging characters and character development. Players appreciate the emotional and perspective storyline, as well as the well-developed character interactions. - Excellent voice acting and storytelling (weight 0.38): The game is praised for its convincing and professional voice acting, which enhances the overall storytelling experience. The writing and dialogues are also well-received. - Unique and intriguing concept (weight 0.34): The game's concept, particularly around time travel, is found to be unique, intriguing, and well-executed. Players appreciate the novel ideas and the interesting narrative. - Unique gameplay mechanics (weight 0.34): The game features unique and interesting gameplay mechanics, particularly around time manipulation and storytelling. Players appreciate the fresh take on these mechanics. - Impactful choices and decisions (weight 0.26): The game offers choice-oriented gameplay where decisions have a significant impact. Players appreciate the complex interplay of events and decisions. - High graphical quality (weight 0.22): The game is praised for its good graphics and high graphical quality. Some players describe the visuals as beautiful and stunning. - Atmospheric and immersive storytelling (weight 0.2): The game is praised for its atmospheric and immersive storytelling. Players appreciate the creepy and spooky atmosphere, as well as the immersive details. - Interesting investigation genre (weight 0.11): The game is described as a cool and enjoyable investigation game. Players appreciate the unique aspects of the investigation genre. - Dynamic timeline changes (weight 0.11): The game features a dynamic timeline that changes based on player choices and events. This mechanic adds depth to the gameplay. - Long and engrossing gameplay (weight 0.11): The game offers long gameplay duration and is described as engrossing. Players appreciate the extended playtime and engaging gameplay. - Interesting butterfly effect mechanics (weight 0.11): The game features interesting mechanics around the butterfly effect and time travel themes. Players appreciate the exploration of these concepts. - Time management and manipulation mechanics (weight 0.1): The game includes time management and manipulation mechanics, adding depth to the gameplay experience. Common complaints: - Repetitive and tedious gameplay (weight 0.53): Many players found the gameplay to be repetitive, boring, and tedious, with tasks and events often feeling narrow and tiresome. - Slow pacing and dull story (weight 0.47): The game's slow pace and dull storyline contributed to a lack of excitement and engagement, making the game feel dragged out and boring. - Disappointing and unsatisfying ending (weight 0.43): The ending of the game was widely criticized as disappointing, unsatisfying, and nonsensical, leaving players underwhelmed. - High price not worth it (weight 0.22): Many players felt that the game's price was too high and not worth the cost, with some suggesting it was overpriced for the content provided. - Lack of meaningful gameplay (weight 0.2): The game was criticized for having almost non-existent gameplay and a lack of meaningful puzzles or interactions. - Trial and error gameplay (weight 0.19): The gameplay often involved a process of trial and error, which some players found frustrating and tedious. - Misleading tutorial and UI (weight 0.18): The tutorial and user interface were criticized for being misleading and poorly designed, leading to confusion and frustration. - Confined and monotonous scenes (weight 0.15): The game's scenes were often confined to a house, making them feel monotonous and initially overwhelming. - Game design and optimization issues (weight 0.08): Players reported various game design and optimization issues, which affected the overall gaming experience. Gameplay feedback: - Narrative-driven and decision-based gameplay (weight 0.63): The game heavily focuses on a story-driven experience with mechanics that revolve around player decisions. These choices significantly impact the narrative and shape the overall gameplay. - Time manipulation mechanics (weight 0.58): The game features time travel and manipulation mechanics, allowing players to alter events and outcomes. This includes changing past events to affect the future and exploring different timelines. - Multiple endings and nonlinear storytelling (weight 0.4): The game offers multiple endings based on the choices made by the player, leading to a nonlinear storytelling experience. Players can explore various story paths and outcomes. - Puzzle-solving and exploration (weight 0.25): Gameplay involves puzzle-solving through interaction and exploration of scenes. Players engage in exploration and puzzle elements to progress through the game. - Unique and agent-based gameplay (weight 0.15): The game offers unique gameplay mechanics, including agent-based gameplay and decision-tree mechanics, providing a distinct experience for players. - Walking simulator elements (weight 0.09): The game incorporates walking simulator mechanics, allowing players to explore environments at a leisurely pace. Performance notes: - Stable performance on various hardware (weight 0.25): The game runs well and is stable on different hardware configurations, including RTX 3050 and RTX 2080 with high graphics settings. - Game crashes and bugs (weight 0.09): Some players experienced game crashes and unspecified bugs, affecting the overall gameplay experience. - Long loading times (weight 0.05): Players have noted that the game has long loading times, which can affect the gaming experience. - Controller support needed (weight 0.05): There is a demand for better or additional controller support in the game. - Lack of ray tracing and DLSS (weight 0.05): There is a noted absence of ray tracing and DLSS features in the game, which some players consider important for visual quality and performance. - Request for auto-save option (weight 0.05): Players have expressed a desire for an auto-save feature to be included in the game. Recommendations: - Recommended for story-rich game fans (weight 0.41): The game is highly recommended for fans of narrative-driven games, character-driven stories, and interactive movies. It is particularly suited for those who enjoy decision-making games and logical thinking. - Multiple choices and endings (weight 0.13): The game is worth buying for its multiple choices and endings, making it a good fit for fans of story games where decisions matter. - Worth buying on sale (weight 0.12): Several reviews suggest that the game is worth buying, especially if it is on sale or at a discount. - Highly recommended by players (weight 0.1): Many players highly recommend the game without specifying particular aspects, indicating a general satisfaction with the overall experience. - Unique and uncommon concept (weight 0.09): The game is praised for its uniqueness and uncommon concept, making it worth exploring for those looking for something different. - Desire for more content (weight 0.09): Some players expressed a wish for a sequel or additional missions, indicating a desire for more content and extended gameplay. - Try the demo first (weight 0.05): Some players advise trying the demo before purchasing the full game to ensure it meets individual preferences. - Alternative game recommendation (weight 0.05): An alternative recommendation for a different game, Return of the Obra Dinn, possibly for fans of similar genres. - Replay value for achievements (weight 0.05): Players indicate they are likely to replay the game to complete achievements, suggesting a level of replayability. - Listen to external audio (weight 0.04): A suggestion to enhance the gaming experience by listening to external audio like lofi music or podcasts while playing. Other player notes: - Unskippable photosensitivity warning (weight 0.06): Players are frustrated by an unskippable photosensitivity warning that interrupts gameplay. Emotions: - Enjoyment (weight 0.19): Players appreciate the game's unique and engaging storyline, complex characters, and innovative time manipulation mechanics. The detailed character interactions, multiple endings, and the overall immersive atmosphere contribute significantly to the enjoyment. - Disappointment (weight 0.15): The primary causes of disappointment are the unsatisfying and cliffhanger endings, as well as the lack of meaningful interactions and repetitive gameplay. Players also express frustration with the mundane story, unresolved plot threads, and the overall execution of the game's premise. - Frustration (weight 0.12): Frustration stems from the game's slow pacing, tedious mechanics, and lack of meaningful choices. Issues with game design, such as confusing time branch mechanics, repetitive gameplay, and technical problems like crashes and corrupted saves, also contribute to this emotion. - Satisfaction (weight 0.06): Players feel satisfied with the game's deep interaction systems, good value for the price, and well-developed characters. The engaging story, interesting puzzles, and solid gameplay mechanics also contribute to this sense of satisfaction. - Engaged (weight 0.06): The engaging story and interesting time manipulation mechanics keep players invested. The character-driven narrative and the fun decision-making process also contribute to this engagement. - Boredom (weight 0.05): Boredom is primarily caused by the repetitive and tedious gameplay, as well as the dull storyline. The slow pace and confined setting of the game also contribute to this feeling. - Engagement (weight 0.03): Players are engaged by the character interactions, puzzle-solving, and the interconnected scenes. The engaging writing and the desire to help characters also keep players invested in the game. - Interest (weight 0.03): The unique concept of time travel and the butterfly effect piques players' interest. The complex time manipulation mechanics and the exploration of different storylines also contribute to this emotion. - Disappointed (weight 0.03): Disappointment arises from the shallow storylines, lack of complexity, and misleading presentation. The high price and limited gameplay, along with the lack of skill involvement, also contribute to this feeling. - Excitement (weight 0.02): The unique time travel mechanics and the refreshing take on the story generate excitement. The potential for a sequel and the interest in the game's premise also contribute to this emotion. - Love (weight 0.02): Players love the time travel elements and the overall gameplay. The combination of story and gameplay mechanics resonates well with them. - Bored (weight 0.02): Boredom is caused by the tedious and repetitive gameplay, as well as the slow-paced story. The lack of meaningful choices and the boring parts of the game contribute to this feeling. - Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion primarily stems from the unclear or confusing ending of the game. The revelation at the end leaves players puzzled. - Engrossment (weight 0.01): Players become engrossed in the game when playing through it with a partner or attempting to achieve 100% completion. The immersive experience and the desire to explore all aspects of the game contribute to this engrossment. - Curiosity (weight 0.01): Curiosity is sparked by the open ending and the desire for a sequel. The intriguing time travel mechanics and decision-based narrative also piques players' interest. - Hope (weight 0.01): Players express hope for future content and sequels. The desire for more content from the developers keeps them optimistic about the game's future. - Frustrated (weight 0.01): Frustration is caused by issues with controls, time control menu, and optimization. The slow pace and high price of the game also contribute to this emotion. - Investment (weight 0.01): Players feel emotionally invested in the characters and their details. The rich character stories and the desire to explore their backgrounds contribute to this investment. - Excited (weight 0.01): Excitement is generated by the unique premise of the game and the interesting narrative. The mix of different game elements and the potential for a sequel also contribute to this emotion. - Satisfied (weight 0.01): Satisfaction comes from the great concept and execution of the game. The well-written story and meaningful game elements also contribute to this feeling.}