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AG Community Playthrough #42: Fran Bow

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Also finished the first chapter - creppy game.

This one, The Cat Lady and Kathy Rain caught me by surprise. FAR STRANGER than I would have initially guessed.

But - different from the typical adventure game - which I liked.

  Heart

     

I enjoy playing adventure games on my Alienware M17 r4 and my Nintendo Switch OLED.

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I am done with chapter 1 as well. The yellow-door code puzzle stumped me and I had to sleep on it before the inspiration struck. The rest was straightforward, smooth, and quite pleasant.

I can’t help but draw parallels with Edna & Harvey: The Breakout due to the similar premise. Apart from the greater enjoyment I am deriving from FB (E&H quickly started feeling like a chore), I also think that FB handles the topic of mental illness better. This might not be too surprising given that E&H is supposed to be a comedy game but it also definitely didn’t shy away from delving into questions of trauma and sanity. I felt that the disturbing nature of not knowing what is real is depicted well in FB.

On that last note, I was somewhat confused by the subtitles in the alternate/red-pill reality (do I smell a Matrix reference?). It took me a little while to realise that (some of) the text when examining the black figures is coming from them as it doesn’t have the brain icon next to it. This confused me at first as I thought it was coming from Fran and it was completely incongruous with her generally sunny demeanor. (And, of course, who knows? Maybe it is indeed coming from Fran’s subconscious.)

wilco - 18 March 2017 05:58 PM

And who killed the parents? Maybe auntie or Fran Bow herself… or Mr. Midnight is not really a cat but someone…

The thought that it was Fran herself occurred to me too. I really hope they don’t go with that. That’d be lazy writing and a boring “twist”.

I am also curious if the time period (indeed, Fran’s chart states that it is 1944) would play any role in the plot.

     
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Just an observation: if the year really was 1944 the style of the TV the young guy (Robert?) is trying to use the paper on looks a bit more modern than those available in 1944 & also there’s a colour ‘test card’ + the programmes were in colour which wasn’t possible in 1944?

Just to add were there keypad operated exit & entry systems in 1944? - I don’t have a clue!

     
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Yea, I noticed those things too. Completely wrong for 1944.

It’s not like the year was a deal breaker for the game anyway.

Maybe they should have spent more time doing research. Anyway, this being an indie game I can look the other way a little. Now if Syberia 3 had those mistakes…........... Naughty

Hope everyone is enjoying the game’s chapter 1, just don’t play late at night in a dark room…........

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I enjoy playing adventure games on my Alienware M17 r4 and my Nintendo Switch OLED.

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Not Syberia 3, no. But in Amerzone (by the same author) the player discovers a floppy disk from the thirties or forties.  Gasp

     

See you around, wolf. Nerissa

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Just finished the first chapter, and so far so good. I was stuck for the longest time on the yellow door puzzle and had to revert to a walkthrough Frown What threw me off is that: I thought the note in the box downstairs was related to the CODE. The reason I thought that was that the note had two numbers in them, and the first number started with 25 (July 25), and the second number started with 17(December 17) So I was trying to decipher that for the longest time. Would be nice if they gave you some hint about the solution, unless they did and I am slow.

     
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Karlok - 22 March 2017 06:42 PM

Not Syberia 3, no. But in Amerzone (by the same author) the player discovers a floppy disk from the thirties or forties.  Gasp

I never noticed the anachronism but now that you mention it, good observation Smile

     
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SoccerDude28 - 23 March 2017 04:16 PM
Karlok - 22 March 2017 06:42 PM

Not Syberia 3, no. But in Amerzone (by the same author) the player discovers a floppy disk from the thirties or forties.  Gasp

I never noticed the anachronism but now that you mention it, good observation Smile

http://www.adventuregamers.com/forums/viewthread/4565

LadyKestrel added there should be no penguins in the arctic in Syberia 2, if you care about real life facts. Which I do, but Sokal does not. I wonder what Syberia 3 has in store for us.  Naughty

Getting back to the subject of Fran Bow: I’m sorry to say I don’t really like the game very much. But I’ll continue playing.

     

See you around, wolf. Nerissa

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SoccerDude28 - 23 March 2017 04:04 PM

I was stuck for the longest time on the yellow door puzzle and had to revert to a walkthrough Frown What threw me off is that: I thought the note in the box downstairs was related to the CODE. The reason I thought that was that the note had two numbers in them, and the first number started with 25 (July 25), and the second number started with 17(December 17)

Yes, the note was the clue to the code the solution being the sum of the month & date i.e. 12 + 17 followed by 7 + 25. I’d forgotten I’d got stuck on that also!

I’ve completed Chapter 2 which is just so bizarre!
Going back & forth between taking the pills I realised that Fran was probably trapped in the well all the time & that reality hit home WITH the medication!  Taking the pills in the twins’ house on the 1st floor & attic led to falls in the well from higher & higher respectively.
Before falling into the well, WITH the pills, Fran couldn’t see the ant, his ‘pig’ (which incidentally is how Fran viewed the paedo guard in the hospital) or his house which looked like an anthill (as it would!) but she did see the strange ‘insects’ with the hair?
The ant & the pinecone family seemed to be inspired (in Fran’s head?) by the TV channel in the asylum?

Mikekelly - 21 March 2017 07:40 PM

Yea, I noticed those things too. Completely wrong for 1944.

Towards the end of the chapter when Fran & Mr Midnight are dropped off by the toad, taking a pill reveals a corpse (of an adult?) at the water’s edge holding a baby? Is that an older Fran & a baby or ?????.  Maybe the anachronisms are deliberate?

I forgot to mention that I did note some references to occult practises in both chapters so far.

     
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Trust me, really strange and creepy games like this one are just not for everyone. To me, they are different from the norm and I like that.

I’ve completed Chapter 2 which is just so bizarre!

It’s hard to believe, BUT this game actually gets even STRANGER!

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I enjoy playing adventure games on my Alienware M17 r4 and my Nintendo Switch OLED.

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Mikekelly - 26 March 2017 08:18 AM

It’s hard to believe, BUT this game actually gets even STRANGER!
Heart

I know it does as I’ve already completed the game & am now just replaying chapters to follow the playthrough schedule. (It’s definitely a game you need to play at least twice if you want to make an inkling of sense from it!)
I’m feeling a little disappointed with the lack of participation so far. 

Karlok - 23 March 2017 07:57 PM

Getting back to the subject of Fran Bow: I’m sorry to say I don’t really like the game very much.

Yes, although I enjoyed the 1st chapter I did feel like that after I finished Chapter 2 & perhaps other players did also - maybe to start with during Chapter 1 - but I found it a game worth persevering with. Smile

     
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Right now I’m up to my proverbials in prep for the tourney, but I hope to find some time to play tonight.

     

Carpe chocolate.

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Lady Kestrel - 26 March 2017 12:27 PM

Right now I’m up to my proverbials in prep for the tourney….....

You’re well & truly excused Lady Kestrel!  Laughing

     
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chrissie - 26 March 2017 10:51 AM
Mikekelly - 26 March 2017 08:18 AM

It’s hard to believe, BUT this game actually gets even STRANGER!
Heart

I know it does as I’ve already completed the game & am now just replaying chapters to follow the playthrough schedule. (It’s definitely a game you need to play at least twice if you want to make an inkling of sense from it!)
I’m feeling a little disappointed with the lack of participation so far. 

Karlok - 23 March 2017 07:57 PM

Getting back to the subject of Fran Bow: I’m sorry to say I don’t really like the game very much.

Yes, although I enjoyed the 1st chapter I did feel like that after I finished Chapter 2 & perhaps other players did also - maybe to start with during Chapter 1 - but I found it a game worth persevering with. Smile

I am still at it. Just invested half an hour to work my way through the first half of Chapter 2. It really reminded me of Pan’s Labyrinth. Anyway, I am still enjoying the game but I always have fun with the AGCP games: the community participation makes me slow down and think more about the game’s plot and design.

I will post more once I am done with Chapter 2. I am also hopeful for an uptick in the participation rate Meh

     
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Done with Chapter 2. As I said, I am enjoying myself so far and I look forward to coming back to the game and tackling the third chapter.

chrissie - 24 March 2017 01:22 PM

Going back & forth between taking the pills I realised that Fran was probably trapped in the well all the time & that reality hit home WITH the medication!  Taking the pills in the twins’ house on the 1st floor & attic led to falls in the well from higher & higher respectively.
Before falling into the well, WITH the pills, Fran couldn’t see the ant, his ‘pig’ (which incidentally is how Fran viewed the paedo guard in the hospital) or his house which looked like an anthill (as it would!) but she did see the strange ‘insects’ with the hair?
The ant & the pinecone family seemed to be inspired (in Fran’s head?) by the TV channel in the asylum?

Yeah, I kept thinking that, at least for most of Chapter 2, the pills revealed what is real. Still, this interpretation is not 100% consistent, as you point out.

Also, I am a little confused about the story of the twins. My understanding so far is that they were born separated but were subjected to an experimental surgery in the hospital, where they were joined. Or is the joining part of their delusions, for which they were “treated” with duotine? In any case, presumably at some point they too escaped the hospital and drowned in the well. Anyone have a different interpretation of this part?

The rest of what’s happening remains somewhat murky for me.

     

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