The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

 PC
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 854 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 596 out of 854
  2. Mixed: 188 out of 854
  3. Negative: 70 out of 854

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  1. iwillkillyou
    Feb 21, 2016
    4
    I did not enjoy this very much. The story did not interest me and the beautifully rendered environment only frustrated me, because you can't interact with it in any interesting way. The only gameplay this has is a few very simple and repetitive puzzles.

    I can appreciate that they tried to do something new and it's apparent how much work must have gone into this but I really hope this is    I did not enjoy this very much. The story did not interest me and the beautifully rendered environment only frustrated me, because you can't interact with it in any interesting way. The only gameplay this has is a few very simple and repetitive puzzles.

    I can appreciate that they tried to do something new and it's apparent how much work must have gone into this but I really hope this is not the future of gameing.    … Expand
  2. JustinForgueims
    Jun 2, 2022
    3
    A beautiful walking simulator. Graphics and landscape is the only good part of it.
    You expend most of the time just pressing W, with a few right clicks here and there. So I do not consider this a game. You're not 'playing' just passing through.
    There's no clear objectives so most of the time you don't know what you're supposed to do, where to go, what you need to find and where. So you    A beautiful walking simulator. Graphics and landscape is the only good part of it.
    You expend most of the time just pressing W, with a few right clicks here and there. So I do not consider this a game. You're not 'playing' just passing through.

    There's no clear objectives so most of the time you don't know what you're supposed to do, where to go, what you need to find and where. So you keep walking around and around, until you find something random that hopefully you can use/interact. Not because it makes any sense, just because the world is empty and you can just interact with really few things. Not a lor of options here.
    There's a difference on designing a 'game' without hand-hold and one that is not giving you any hint, so you feel lost most of the time.

    You can even skip parts of the story (I did it by mistake) as nothing is blocking you to keep walking and walking. So it's mainly a narrative story where you can skip parts of this story... great plan devs!    … Expand
  3. DarkCowboy
    Jan 2, 2016
    4
    It's a really beautiful game.....or more like a narrative story, accompanied by an atmospheric soundtrack.
    I would love to recommend this game.....but after having completed it in less than 4 hours, I simply can't.
    It's really sad that the work of creating a truly beautiful environment and soundtrack, is diminished by a severe lack of actual game content. It's actually a quite    It's a really beautiful game.....or more like a narrative story, accompanied by an atmospheric soundtrack.
    I would love to recommend this game.....but after having completed it in less than 4 hours, I simply can't.
    It's really sad that the work of creating a truly beautiful environment and soundtrack, is diminished by a severe lack of actual game content.
    It's actually a quite captivating story, but you're kind of left with a 'Is that it?' feeling when the much too short storyline comes to end.    … Expand
  4. Noiza
    Dec 19, 2021
    1
    Here is my oppinion: Im very dissapointed by this game.
    It was a promising start of the game, but after a few minutes the game plot was predictable, the mechanic was boring and the game was hollow and boring. The start of the game is like "this game wont take you by the hand" yes, even worse. it gave me a rope i jsut had to follow until the end. if playes like a tube in a open world.
    The    Here is my oppinion: Im very dissapointed by this game.
    It was a promising start of the game, but after a few minutes the game plot was predictable, the mechanic was boring and the game was hollow and boring. The start of the game is like "this game wont take you by the hand" yes, even worse. it gave me a rope i jsut had to follow until the end. if playes like a tube in a open world.
    The game is short, it took me 4 hours, but only because i had to start over three times in a row since the game has either a problem with saving or the game just resets itself on every game start. maybe 2 hours and you are done.
    The puzzles where all mediocore at best but more boring, maybe the targeted audience was kids. one puzzle was with jumpscare moments and the Plot dismanteled itself after the first few puzzles. The End was dissapointing predictable. (and weak)
    The only good thing i can say about this game it that it has some good approaches, nice landscape and it was for free on epic. 20€ is hefty overprized, this game plays more like a Demo of the Unreal Engine rather than a propper game.    … Expand
  5. agurczuk
    Oct 11, 2016
    2
    I've bought this without knowing exactly what it is apart from hearing mixed emotions. Some called it bad, other claimed that this game is misunderstood. I hoped to end up in the "I liked the game" camp though sadly I did not.

    First of - this is barely a game. It's beautiful, extremely so. The visual effects are just gorgeous. The models are so detailed that up to this date I'd say this    I've bought this without knowing exactly what it is apart from hearing mixed emotions. Some called it bad, other claimed that this game is misunderstood. I hoped to end up in the "I liked the game" camp though sadly I did not.

    First of - this is barely a game. It's beautiful, extremely so. The visual effects are just gorgeous. The models are so detailed that up to this date I'd say this is the best looking "tech demo" I've seen. But sadly it fails hardly as a game.

    So why it is that? I don't really mind narrative games, I don't mind experimental ones. But this is lacking so much in game design aspect. As a player you start out at a spot with a short story introduction. A very short and not really telling you what to do. You start walking - everything is pretty but nothing is explained. I just kept walking, looking around and so on and later on learned that I've missed 3 out of 5 or six puzzles. Nothing told me that. There was also almost nothing explaining the game mechanics or even subtly prompting me to do anything. Arriving at the old abandoned village game suddenly introduces teleporting doors with some spell - why? how? How does that fit the narrative.

    At this point I was confused and had no idea what to do. I walked around for little more enjoying the views and graphic quality but was bored. Honestly I thought that was it. Had to look up reviews to see there was more. And after having a read - was not really interested in actually playing. The game just lacks any game design - forcing player to explore certain areas, hinting or suggesting some actions. Or just simply explaining itself. Really shame as it is really beautiful. Can't really recommend it.    … Expand
  6. ShaggyKris
    Oct 16, 2014
    4
    There are a couple things I do want to praise. Firstly, the level design is superb. It really felt like I was walking into an enclosed valley surrounded by water and such. Walking into the world, I was able to gaze upon it entirely. That will also be commented on in the negatives.
    Second, the atmosphere is very well done. While never giving a sense of foreboding (except one sequence), I    There are a couple things I do want to praise. Firstly, the level design is superb. It really felt like I was walking into an enclosed valley surrounded by water and such. Walking into the world, I was able to gaze upon it entirely. That will also be commented on in the negatives.
    Second, the atmosphere is very well done. While never giving a sense of foreboding (except one sequence), I was very much drawn in by what was going on in the game.

    Now, to the negatives. While the game says it will not hold your hand, never even gives you a chance to explain what you must do. In my first playthrough, I found a couple set pieces and didn't even realize they were a part of a greater set piece. Namely, when I discovered the first trap, I did not know that I had to scour the area for ALL of the traps, and then be rewarded with a piece of story. This is inexcusable, as the endgame does not allow the player to COMPLETE the game without accomplishing EVERYTHING in the game. While it is considerate to teleport you to areas where you may have missed something, the fact that you, the player, must SCOUR EVERY INCH OF THE WORLD TO ENSURE YOU MISSED NOTHING is, quite frankly, absurd. I understand a developer wanting you to explore their world inch by inch, but in doing so don't make it MANDATORY.
    My other gripe is that the story, with a nice twist, is anything but satisfying. I will not spoil it, but I am pretty sure many people here will agree that it ends rather... untastefully. I was actually groaning at the screen when the credits began to roll, and actually threw up my arms when there was nothing after them either. The game builds up to some terrific conclusion, and swaps it out for a meager cop-out.

    All in all, while I appreciate the work that has been put into the game's visuals and sound, I find that the developers simply lack a compelling story conclusion, and gameplay itself. This is definitely a walking simulator, with minor puzzles. Don't be fooled.    … Expand
  7. AngryIgor
    Jan 3, 2018
    0
    what a god damn borefest... story and characters are joke and basically nothing will actually happen... this is not a game for a real players whos actually want PLAY and have some challenge, story or just want more than just boring seance... graphic is good but also nothing special
  8. financialwar
    Dec 19, 2021
    0
    confusing, don't know what to do after I do all the clues and the six scenes revealed.
  9. Spiralus
    Oct 22, 2014
    4
    I don't know what I expected from this game. Something like an art piece with puzzles maybe? I expected it to push my graphics card - as I'd heard it was really pretty. It has some great background flats which are seamlessly animated together to create a gorgeous exterior environment. Apart from those flats the visuals were simply modern. More important than the underwhelming (after theI don't know what I expected from this game. Something like an art piece with puzzles maybe? I expected it to push my graphics card - as I'd heard it was really pretty. It has some great background flats which are seamlessly animated together to create a gorgeous exterior environment. Apart from those flats the visuals were simply modern. More important than the underwhelming (after the hype mind you) visuals was the lack of anything to do. There is nothing to interact with apart from the bits of murder mystery you're putting together. After the third corpse you find you know that anything you can interact with will be part of a murder scene. This is even more boring than it may sound to you reading this. If this is all the game is going to be (messing with murder scenes) it should at least be well done. In my opinion though, it isn't. In one instance (the point at which I stopped playing) I determined that a pick-axe was part of a murder because only three out of four pick-axes were present in a rack of pick-axes. . . in an abandoned mine. . . that's not crazy - it's stupid. I decided that I was done playing the game and would warn against putting your time in if you're into murder mysteries. Was the story any good? Don't care. . . so. . . no?… Expand
  10. iycgtptyarvg
    Oct 11, 2014
    4
    The good:
    This is almost certainly the most beautiful game I've ever played (or seen). The vista's and the trees are absolutely amazing. Not only the scenery, but also the flashbacks and the floating words are just such a treat to behold. 10/10
    There isn't much voice acting, but what is there is generally quite pleasant. 8/10 The bad: It's barely a game. You basically just walk    The good:
    This is almost certainly the most beautiful game I've ever played (or seen). The vista's and the trees are absolutely amazing. Not only the scenery, but also the flashbacks and the floating words are just such a treat to behold. 10/10

    There isn't much voice acting, but what is there is generally quite pleasant. 8/10

    The bad:
    It's barely a game. You basically just walk around and sometimes a word pops up. Then you click the left mouse button. That's it... that's more or less the whole game. It's more of a movie with limited interaction. If you thought the Walking Dead game by Telltale was an interactive movie, then avoid this game because it's much worse. 2/10

    It is extremely short. I finished it in about 3.5 hours (in a single sitting).
    There is no replayability whatsoever once you have finished it. 1/10

    Even though the game is very short, it's not very intense to boot. It's all rather glacial. There is a run button that I kept pressed during the whole game. In fact, I put something on the run key modifier (the shift key) just to not have to hold down the damn button constantly. 2/10

    There is barely any music in there. It's a pretty quiet game all told. That doesn't help break the monotony of the walking. If you make a walking simulator, at least sooth us with constant music. 2/10

    Conclusion:
    Get this game when there is a Steam sale. Do NOT buy this game if the price is over €5,- or $5,-    … Expand
  11. Erazor
    Oct 3, 2014
    3
    + Absolutely gorgeous environment/world/level, great job done by the artists.

    + Interesting story, events and characters + the event/murder order solving and watching the events unfold was good. + Good jump scare in the maze, needed many more of it. + Good Voice acting, decent animations. - Gave us a beautiful environment but that’s all there was to it, very static, very    + Absolutely gorgeous environment/world/level, great job done by the artists.

    + Interesting story, events and characters

    + the event/murder order solving and watching the events unfold was good.

    + Good jump scare in the maze, needed many more of it.

    + Good Voice acting, decent animations.

    - Gave us a beautiful environment but that’s all there was to it, very static, very dull and boring, dead environment with few objects to interactive with, how many programmers did this game need, just 1?

    -Lack of fear, creepiness or generally anything, music alone doesn’t affect me, I’m walking in day light environment here, felt like a walk in an abandon village and woods, seemed like a normal day.

    - I don’t expect a game done by professionals to throw an early excuse of “this game that won’t hold your hand” that was like saying “this is going to suck in this way but it’s meant to be like that”.

    - Thanks for not holding my hand or leading any sort of good trail of events to be done, I did the death maze and Axe murder first before anything else. Didn’t help my immersion.

    - Some random ass object placements (Crow statue, Spaceman buttons, Hidden cave, and water bridge) maybe leave some more evidence leading to these objects, I’d rather play a straight forward story game for 1 hour then “find all the hidden” objects game for 10 hours.

    -Best part of the game was the maze and the jump scare, it’s a shame it only worked once, and the AI was stupid and predictable and easily avoided rest of the time.

    -Huge mistake on the no quick/manual save. No I don’t want to walk even more in a static dull environment that needs a lot of walking around in the first place, just let me ****ing save and quit, lost a lot of points for this.

    -The Portal house, No, just no, too much effort, didn’t need the rooms inside of the rooms, didn’t need to force me to a pen & paper to work out something that otherwise would have been the same outcome.    … Expand
  12. kizapet
    Oct 19, 2014
    4
    Great graphics, interesting tale and less than 2 hours of gameplay?!?!!? Basically, search for few traps at beginning, solve few nice puzzles, search through labyrinth while playing hide and seek with zombie and than couple more puzzles.
  13. Oversoon
    Oct 20, 2014
    4
    This game is actually very interesting to play at first, but the ending is SO absurdly cliché and just downright lazy, that I can't in good conscience recommend it to anyone. There is NO resolution to anything... NONE... I get that it's Lovecraft inspired and questions will go unanswered, but this was an ending so incredibly lazy that it reduces an otherwise engrossing experience intoThis game is actually very interesting to play at first, but the ending is SO absurdly cliché and just downright lazy, that I can't in good conscience recommend it to anyone. There is NO resolution to anything... NONE... I get that it's Lovecraft inspired and questions will go unanswered, but this was an ending so incredibly lazy that it reduces an otherwise engrossing experience into complete drivel.… Expand
  14. HardKase123
    Sep 26, 2014
    3
    Yes this game has stunning graphics, however, the game play is not well thought out. Depending on which direction you go you solve murders only to find that when you return to that area the murder is unsolved again. There were some glitches with the elevator in the mine. after you have visited all the buildings except one where I have not found the door key, there really is not anywhereYes this game has stunning graphics, however, the game play is not well thought out. Depending on which direction you go you solve murders only to find that when you return to that area the murder is unsolved again. There were some glitches with the elevator in the mine. after you have visited all the buildings except one where I have not found the door key, there really is not anywhere else to explore. There is one mine entrance in the rocks. I am a bit flustered as where to go next. I guess I am not a great detective eh?… Expand
  15. Veber
    Sep 27, 2014
    2
    Nice premise, nice visuals, but the game completely lacks direction or logic. You are supposed to be a living breathing human detective, who sets out to find a missing boy named Ethan (as explained in prequel comic); but:
    1. you arrive to the middle of nowhere ON FOOT, through long abandoned train tunnel, which of you go through backwards leads you to the same area as you entered it in    Nice premise, nice visuals, but the game completely lacks direction or logic. You are supposed to be a living breathing human detective, who sets out to find a missing boy named Ethan (as explained in prequel comic); but:
    1. you arrive to the middle of nowhere ON FOOT, through long abandoned train tunnel, which of you go through backwards leads you to the same area as you entered it in
    2. you can survive fall from a cliff

    I went in expecting strictly atmospheric investigation game with some paranormal, and even if game somewhat started as that, it was rather quickly broken by jump scare undead (zombie?) attack in the mine.

    Another fault of the game is that it is essentially walking simulator, with trying to find object you can interact with.

    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter had potential, but it went down the drain    … Expand
  16. Aventinus
    Oct 4, 2014
    1
    It's a beautiful game but that's about all the praise it's going to get here. Wandering through a ghost town with no objective marker (yes, I realize it was in the disclaimer), is just not fun, it's downright frustrating. Maybe for some of you who have a LOT of time on your hands and patience to spare, this will be engaging, but I found myself frolicking about, without a freaking clue asIt's a beautiful game but that's about all the praise it's going to get here. Wandering through a ghost town with no objective marker (yes, I realize it was in the disclaimer), is just not fun, it's downright frustrating. Maybe for some of you who have a LOT of time on your hands and patience to spare, this will be engaging, but I found myself frolicking about, without a freaking clue as to what to do next, passing the same bloody patch of land numerous times wondering where to go.

    Murdered Soul Suspect did a much better job pulling you into the story...it threw you a bone at least, giving you a full encyclopedia-worthy history on the background of Salem as you slowly unraveled the mystery. Sure, it had it's drawbacks but at least you were surrounded by a world that was eerie and teeming with liveliness with characters that you cared about....while here, there are no characters except the walking ghoul which is the protagonist detective.

    This is not my type of game, and I will never ever be revisiting Red Creek Valley again. On the plus side, at least this game is **** free (Gone Home).    … Expand
  17. fludziom
    Jan 24, 2016
    4
    Easily the most boring game I have played in my entire life. Floating camera monotonous walking simulator with nonsensical puzzles. I don’t remember ever being this bored with a game. What a waste. I should have been paid for time wasted on finishing this game. It’s short the only positive I can say about this game.
  18. Broyax
    Mar 29, 2017
    1
    Hallucinant graphiquement ! et en plus ça tourne bien, même sur une config moyenne (i7/6870) avec une zone de jeu pas négligeable... quoique l'appellation "jeu" soit assez exagérée... Tel qu'il est, Vanishing bidule ressemble à un concept, un prototype de "jeu", quelque chose de pas fini.

    Une chose dont même les développeurs ne savent plus quoi faire. Nous non plus d'ailleurs... à toi    Hallucinant graphiquement ! et en plus ça tourne bien, même sur une config moyenne (i7/6870) avec une zone de jeu pas négligeable... quoique l'appellation "jeu" soit assez exagérée... Tel qu'il est, Vanishing bidule ressemble à un concept, un prototype de "jeu", quelque chose de pas fini.

    Une chose dont même les développeurs ne savent plus quoi faire. Nous non plus d'ailleurs... à toi d'inventer le jeu qui va avec ce non-jeu super-con-templatif... Interface (?) réduite au minimum, pratiquement rien, voix off qui raconte de la merde, musique minable... Ambiance ? mouais ! ça donne envie d'aller faire la sieste. En conclusion,, une daube, une très belle, une magnifique daube. Mais une daube.

    Post-Scrotum : à noter que ce pseudo-jeu refuse de fonctionner si Afterburner est dans la place. Yo, pas cool, bro.    … Expand
  19. ihatecheez
    Dec 16, 2016
    4
    the game is beautiful and sounds great, but it's held down by very slow pacing, puzzles that take forever to solve, if you mess up you have to start all over again, and the story doesn't make much sense unless you look up the lore...
  20. Dco326
    Apr 19, 2021
    4
    I really didn't like it, the story is meh, some puzzles are really really bad etc. I would not recommend
  21. knur
    Oct 12, 2022
    3
    pros: graphics, nice scenery
    cons: not enough interactions, too much of a walking simulator, predictable and forgettable story.

    Overall - a waste of time.

Awards & Rankings

43
#43 Best PC Game of 2014
32
#32 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014
40
#40 Most Shared PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 66 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 56 out of 66
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 66
  3. Negative: 0 out of 66
  1. SpazioGames
    Oct 28, 2015
    85
    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter it's a lovely experience that enchants the player with its narrative, and landscapes. Even the sound is fitting in this smart game whose only real problem is the duration.
    Read full review
  2. Games Master UK
    Dec 21, 2014
    78
    A gorgeously crafted experience that's cramped by the occasionally obtuse signposting. [Christmas 2014, p.68]
  3. CD-Action
    Dec 13, 2014
    80
    Some minor disappointments did not prevent me from soaking in the atmosphere worthy of Lovecraft’s horror stories. [Dec 2014, p.46]
See all critic reviews »