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Casual Playthrough—Phantasmat

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So you’ve met the cast of characters by now, and you’ve explored the hotel. There is clearly something odd going on here. Perhaps more can be learned by discovering what’s in the nearby town.

Here’s a helpful Tourist Map to help you get oriented. Might as well get used to the idea that you’re staying a while.

Have you been having odd visions, when the world turns sepia-toned with hints of violence?

In town you find that another character has entered the story. Except he’s not particularly helpful. In fact, he’s clearly a workaholic, since you can’t get him to leave his desk.

He left behind some interesting stuff, though, including a tape recorder. Before becoming so attached to his desk, he seems to have been searching for something less esoteric than the truth. Is it possible there’s something of real value hidden here?


For Section Two, play until you take the elevator down to reach the pier and the tied-up boat. If possible, finish this section before Sunday, October 26th, when the third section will start.

     
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Iznogood - 23 October 2014 06:45 PM

I mean horror works best when you build it up slowly, start with a perfectly normal setting, where perhaps things is just a slight bit off, where you can sense that things aren’t quite as they are suppose to be, but you can’t put your finger on exactly what is wrong. And then you build up slowly making things more and more off, until both the player/reader/viewer and the protagonist realise that something is completely wrong and that they are actually in grave danger.

But in this game it happens too fast, there is no slow build up, instead we are thrown into it directly from the start, immediately knowing that things are terribly wrong.

If the horror doesn’t build up, you can still get a good end result by simply allowing for a lot of ham and cheese (which seems what they’re doing here - the horror elements are overly visible, and the poprietor’s speech is not subtle)...

     

The truth can’t hurt you, it’s just like the dark: it scares you witless but in time you see things clear and stark. - Elvis Costello
Maybe this time I can be strong, but since I know who I am, I’m probably wrong. Maybe this time I can go far, but thinking about where I’ve been ain’t helping me start. - Michael Kiwanuka

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Speaking of the proprietor, this is the screenshot I mentioned that I missed. It’s dark and he is barely visible behind the left window. But his image is quite different than what it is when he opens the door.

     

For whom the games toll,
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One thing that I did notice is that the sepia images Becky talks about really don’t start until about halfway through the current chapter.

The first dimmed, eye-slit dream sequence, in Room 106 is in full color. Then they turn to a muted color, then to a bright black and white. and finally to this…

     

For whom the games toll,
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Finished the first section of the game. Loads of HO screens indeed but I like to at least check their creepiness before switching to match3. Basically I’m doing the same that was mentioned before (forgot who said it, sorry): at first I try to find the HO items but when it seems that I’ll be a bit stuck with the couple of last ones, I pop them out with match3. So far I’ve finished only one HO screen without matching.

I personally find the dolls to be the creepiest things. I know it’s very much intentional but dolls just are creepy. Didn’t get the eyeworm myself though, but had to pick up some spiders and centipedes and yuck.

I also think the game is obviously not taking itself 100% seriously. It’s over the top and it’s pretty good that way. The phone call made me snicker. And the proprietor is hawt. (I have a thing for creepy dudes, I also liked Mann, the mortician’s helper was it? in Angelica Weaver.)

I am somewhat interested in the mystery but I feel that this game hasn’t gripped me like Angelica Weaver - at least not yet. And the teacup symbol “puzzle” was a weird waste of time. The classical water bottle puzzle was probably my favourite.

     

Currently Playing: Dragon Age Origins: Awakening
Recently Played: Red Embrace: Hollywood, Dorfromantik, Heirs & Graces, AI: The Somnium Files, PRICE, Frostpunk, The Shapeshifting Detective (CPT), Disco Elysium, Dream Daddy, Four Last Things, Jenny LeClue - Detectivu, The Signifier

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The water bottle puzzle is a staple. Just like the newspaper under to door to retrieve the key is a staple. It’s a nice puzzle to start the game because most everyone is familiar with the concept.

     

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Ready for the next chapter.

     

For whom the games toll,
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Okay I have finished this part, and I must say that it is beginning to grow on me, especially once things started chancing and we saw how the hotel has clearly been abounded for years.

It is also now completely clear at least to me, [spoiler]that they are not only all dead, but also murderers!!!! The hotel owner killed the previous owner, the old lady her husband, and the young lady… well I guess there is a small change she is innocent… that is if it wasn’t for that picture in our room.[/spoiler]

The good thing is that there is apparently a whole lot of mulah somewhere, just waiting for us to pick it up.

And what’s up with this picture, is it just a spot the difference or is there some kind of message here?

The younger version of the old lady, doesn’t really look like her wedding picture.

     

You have to play the game, to find out why you are playing the game! - eXistenZ

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One thing that helps the voice acting is the fact that the lines they are given fit the characters and the situation. In particular I like the way the young assistant is trying to come to terms with where she is and why. She keeps advancing and retreating, wanting to find out and wanting to hide. I think the writers here had a very deft touch.

In general I like the music, and the musical theme that starts when you get to the pier is my favorite.

     
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Iznogood - 24 October 2014 10:21 PM

And what’s up with this picture, is it just a spot the difference or is there some kind of message here?

There’s some kind of message here. Yes, one side is a glimpse of the past. It’s intriguing that the proprietor hasn’t changed at all (at least, as far as I can tell). Later in the game you’ll see another picture of the Socialite that’s similar to this one—must have been a few years after her wedding.

 

     
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rtrooney - 24 October 2014 12:19 PM

Speaking of the proprietor, this is the screenshot I mentioned that I missed. It’s dark and he is barely visible behind the left window. But his image is quite different than what it is when he opens the door.

I didn’t even notice him at the door when I entered!

The hotel changes subtly as the story unfolds. When you first enter, it appears to be more normal. Then, as you investigate further, it’s as though a veil is removed to show what’s underneath. Or perhaps there’s an alternate reality breaking through somehow. Or maybe a spectral light is increasingly illuminating these interiors.

The hallway when you first arrive.

And later.

Room 106 when you first arrive.

And later.

Tim also noted the color changes in the visions/dream sequences.

rtrooney - 24 October 2014 04:02 PM

One thing that I did notice is that the sepia images Becky talks about really don’t start until about halfway through the current chapter.

The first dimmed, eye-slit dream sequence, in Room 106 is in full color. Then they turn to a muted color, then to a bright black and white…

I’m not sure yet how the color changes fit in. The hotel seems to get darker as the game progresses. But the overlook next to the hotel acquires lights. For now, that’s because the electricity has been turned on. But later, new sources of light will likely mean something else.

     
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Becky - 25 October 2014 11:18 AM

There’s some kind of message here. Yes, one side is a glimpse of the past. It’s intriguing that the proprietor hasn’t changed at all (at least, as far as I can tell). Later in the game you’ll see another picture of the Socialite that’s similar to this one—must have been a few years after her wedding.

One thing that’s interesting is that the picture on the right shows the characters appearing as they once were but the room where the picture is taken is dark, and littered with dust and cobwebs. The picture on the left is the exact opposite, i.e. a brightly-lit room with the characters reflecting with they look like today.

The picture also indicates that the girl and proprietor seem to have died, (if in fact they are dead,) shortly after their arrival to the town. The mayor’s wife’s appearance, on the other hand, indicates that quite some time elapsed between her dastardly deed and her death.

     

For whom the games toll,
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I’ve just got to the elevator & reading all comments with interest! I don’t know what I think yet but the story for me so far is amongst the more interesting presented by a CG.

I did notice that the young woman urges you to go in the path of the highway which doesn’t work out too well - I don’t trust her anymore!

I’ve stuck to playing through the HO screens rather than Match-3 - is it my imagination or are they getting slightly harder even though they are still not that difficult?

So far I’m finding all 3 characters very intriguing & what do they have to do with the hidden money? & are they connected to murder as suggested in the cut scenes or maybe it’s suicide

The past & present picture is also interesting as it suggests a long past between the 3 characters….........

     

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I’m new at AGs so the water bottle puzzle stumped me big time at first. I got the concept of what I was supposed to do, but the order of steps was tough. I totally phoned it in. :-/ I’ve been good about no hints on the HO stuff, though! I do like the ability to switch.

I ended up going back to the wreck to see if there was something to bust open the cabinet/door in the pet shop and noticed what seemed to be a face or a head in the sideview mirror? If there is, that could definitely point to our character being dead.

     
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chrissie - 25 October 2014 02:12 PM

I did notice that the young woman urges you to go in the path of the highway which doesn’t work out too well - I don’t trust her anymore!

I’m not trusting any of them for the time being. But the girl sending you down the path was something else. She warned you about it, and used it as an example of how you were trapped ... much as the old lady predicted after reading your fortune. I think her thought was there is no way of understanding how trapped you really are other than by experiencing it first-hand.

     

For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.

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