Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture
Last one out, please get the lights…
Ordinarily I wouldn’t describe myself as a fan of walking simulators (as they are sometimes disparagingly called) but as I reflect on this game I realise that perhaps three of the games that ‘stand out’ from however many games I’ve played during the last 7 years of the now previous generation is that they are, in fact walking simulators: Firewatch, Paratropic and this… Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture.
A living room as welcoming as my great Nana Edwards… takes me back
So what is it about? Well, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture (ba-dum-tish). You explore an idyllic 1984 Shropshire village and piece together the last moments of the inhabitants, the little village dramas amidst a backdrop of sheltered English countryside life while this spectacular event occurs. And its a wonderful journey, the acting is fantastic and the soundtrack is one of the best I’ve heard - the game oozes atmosphere and makes for a lovely walk in the park so to speak.
I do wish that there was something more to the games ending, it’s left open to interpretation I guess, but its still a bit of a let down that after your journey through the game the ending essentially amounts to the name of the game. What really did we learn? (But please don’t let that put you off from giving this a go if you haven’t played it).
There’s great characterisation throughout, the voice actors need to do essentially all the legwork, great performances as well… in game, its a bunch of particle effects flickering at each other
Any criticisms?
The lack of interactivity/physicality in general is a bit jarring, you are an observer and it’s not clear what or who you are. You can open gates, some doors and float along a little quicker, but that’s your lot. Without knowing the Chinese Rooms intention I wouldn’t want to wade in with “It should have been this” but you can see some awkwardness with the mechanics shine through with trophies that require you to ‘read’ all the books, in actuality it’s just stand nearby and look at the closed book. No feedback is given to show you’ve been successful which can make for a slightly frustrating experience when trying to mop up the trophy set.
The game probably should have a more responsive run button, R2 and needing a good amount of time to really get rolling is probably why so many reviewers decried the lack of a run control in the first place.
For as astoundingly realised the environment is, the scale of some props etc is fully wild, the footballs are the size of 7 year olds for example which I guess wades into the uncanny valley effect, only for garden items?
Land of the Size 10 Football
All in all, I really enjoyed my time in this game, great atmosphere and I even on a repeat play (I first played this game 4 years ago) I found it surprisingly touching.
Check it out.
