User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 854 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 70 out of 854

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  1. Aug 15, 2023
    7
    That's a gorgeous game with a nice narrative, but I came to realize that "walking simulatores" are not my thing. That being said, it seems like The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a pretty good title for the genre.
  2. Jul 22, 2023
    5
    I guess I was just expecting something entirely different... At first I was really curious about this game and I thought it will be something like "kingdom come deliverance" walking simulator but short and detective action. How sadly surprised I was when paranormal activities started to happen... I thought this would be a game with realistic down to earth story but I was unfortunatelyI guess I was just expecting something entirely different... At first I was really curious about this game and I thought it will be something like "kingdom come deliverance" walking simulator but short and detective action. How sadly surprised I was when paranormal activities started to happen... I thought this would be a game with realistic down to earth story but I was unfortunately wrong. Game isn't bad but it would be so much better with real life story not some completely nonsense demonic cult story... Expand
  3. Feb 5, 2023
    6
    Complete snooze fest all in all. But the premise was somewhat interesting and the world was pretty. But just didn't personally find it very fun to play.
  4. Oct 25, 2022
    7
    Атмосферно простенькие головоломки ,версия redux еще стало круче, спустя несколько лет можно еще поиграть
  5. 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.
  6. Oct 3, 2022
    6
    not my type of game.
    at first sight it was pretty good and interesting but i just cant seet for a very long time and just walk in this game. story and quests are too rare. i didnt like gameplay and its not as much story as i want. also game is pretty old and visual is not good so walking is not only uninteresting also it is a little unbeautyfully
  7. Aug 29, 2022
    10
    one of these walking simulator with really good story, really good storytelling and also good game mechanics.
  8. 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!
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  9. Apr 11, 2022
    6
    There is something missing here, and it's not the protagonist. I have nothing to say about the creative direction and graphics overall: the game looks stunning and have personality. I firmly question, however, the stiffness of its narration. You can skip all events, and then you are asked to recover them to see the final of the story. Murders can be skipped altogether, leading to theThere is something missing here, and it's not the protagonist. I have nothing to say about the creative direction and graphics overall: the game looks stunning and have personality. I firmly question, however, the stiffness of its narration. You can skip all events, and then you are asked to recover them to see the final of the story. Murders can be skipped altogether, leading to the feeling you have missed a large chunk of content as the game impose you to recover only part of the plot.

    The ending has a classical approach to paranormal, to science fiction, reminiscent of a certain, brilliant, literature. In itself the plot is interesting enough, and the pacing as diversified as possible to keep things interesting. With a better rhythm, less walking and multiple endings according to the amount of secrets you have uncovered, the overall score would have been higher.
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  10. Apr 10, 2022
    8
    Got the game free from Epic Store. Story is very interesting, every single clue you find makes you more curious for the rest of the story. Graphics looks stunning. First game area cant stop looking for the view.

    Summary:
    Story:9
    Graphics:10
  11. Apr 10, 2022
    10
    'The Vanishing of Ethan Carter' has an amazing story, the all atmosphere of it, the soundtrack, the telling of the story bit by bit, its a lot of fun. also the game is running on a very good game engine and it looks fantastic.
    one small bad sign, is that the game has a bug, that make the game stuck (only the mouse and the zoom works, and the character cant move), because this game do not
    'The Vanishing of Ethan Carter' has an amazing story, the all atmosphere of it, the soundtrack, the telling of the story bit by bit, its a lot of fun. also the game is running on a very good game engine and it looks fantastic.
    one small bad sign, is that the game has a bug, that make the game stuck (only the mouse and the zoom works, and the character cant move), because this game do not have a saving at any point system, it was a bummer, but I finished it, so it was good.
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  12. Mar 22, 2022
    7
    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a 2014 horror adventure video game developed and published by The Astronauts. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is set in an open world environment, in which the player can roam around and explore at will; in its opening the game notes that it "does not hold [the player's] hand", and as such features very little by way of explanation to the mechanics.
  13. Mar 19, 2022
    6
    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter lacks the proper amount of player's agency to compensate for its beautiful but ultimately boring sandbox that demands too much for too little reward.
  14. Jan 2, 2022
    7
    Такой игре позарез нужна или карта, или что-то, что хотя бы говорило в какой области вы что-то не завершили, потому что я банально пропустил вторую головоломку и дошёл до самой последней и так и не понял почему у меня нет концовки, пока не вернулся хрен знает куда обратно... так делать нельзя. История меня вообще никак не зацепила, потому к игре один большой вопрос, где конечный вауТакой игре позарез нужна или карта, или что-то, что хотя бы говорило в какой области вы что-то не завершили, потому что я банально пропустил вторую головоломку и дошёл до самой последней и так и не понял почему у меня нет концовки, пока не вернулся хрен знает куда обратно... так делать нельзя. История меня вообще никак не зацепила, потому к игре один большой вопрос, где конечный вау эффект? Почему такой скучный и банальный сюжет? Expand
  15. Jan 1, 2022
    8
    Довольно необычный опыт. Всё просто, минималистично, но притом дарит кучу эмоций. Мне понравилось, что игру можно пройти за пару часов. Сейчас не хватает таких проектов.
  16. Dec 19, 2021
    0
    confusing, don't know what to do after I do all the clues and the six scenes revealed.
  17. 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.
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  18. Jul 14, 2021
    6
    From the very first moment of the game it's impossible not to admire the stunning environment and mesmerizing spooky atmosphere. Red Creek Valley is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in-game worlds. However, I think that's the first and last positive point of the game.
    You're alone in a large map with lots of sideways and detours, not knowing what to do, where to head. Confusion in
    From the very first moment of the game it's impossible not to admire the stunning environment and mesmerizing spooky atmosphere. Red Creek Valley is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in-game worlds. However, I think that's the first and last positive point of the game.
    You're alone in a large map with lots of sideways and detours, not knowing what to do, where to head. Confusion in finding mission makes the game a perfect "walking simulator". (At least give a damn compass!) Sometimes finding what to do next was like finding a needle in a haystack. Thus I managed to finish the game with the help of walkthroughs on YouTube. (I'm in wonder how can one finish the game without getting help.)
    The story was unique, but this doesn't necessarily mean that it was great. It was a fine emotional story and nothing more than that.
    The game however reminds me of The Murdered Soul Suspect. Both has similar concept and great ideas but in the end, an average game.
    I'm trying to find some positive things to say but I can't find much. Music was good.
    In general I would recommend it for patient people who have free time.
    (July 2021)
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  19. 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
  20. Mar 12, 2021
    5
    BRONZ zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
  21. Feb 21, 2021
    8
    I played this game in 2021 (yes, 2021) and enjoyed it a lot. It is only 10-15 hours, but each hour of dense exploring, story and puzzles.

    The graphics are beautiful, even though they are from 2014. The whole atmosphere sucked me in immediately. The atmosphere is mysterious, but this is *not* a horror game! More like a supernatural detective game. Story is good, I was curious what is
    I played this game in 2021 (yes, 2021) and enjoyed it a lot. It is only 10-15 hours, but each hour of dense exploring, story and puzzles.

    The graphics are beautiful, even though they are from 2014. The whole atmosphere sucked me in immediately. The atmosphere is mysterious, but this is *not* a horror game! More like a supernatural detective game.

    Story is good, I was curious what is going on there.

    Puzzles are medium to easy, depends.

    So for anyone looking for a small game with lots of mystery, I can really recommend it.
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  22. May 14, 2020
    8
    The potential is there for a straight 10, but it does get a bit boring at times. However it is a great game about exploration, a pretty great ending to tie things up and at least one great puzzle with the rooms in the house changing (I believe it may be optional though). Definitely worth checking out both for fan of walking simulators and adventure games
  23. Oct 14, 2020
    7
    Приятная игруха на 4-5 часов, супер графон, неплохой супер мистический сюжет, я ощутил флэшбеки по великолепному Алану Уэйку, плюс этот прекрасный лес сделан просто нереально. Музыка ну просто очень красивая.

    Из минусов – игра настолько "не ведёт тебя за руку" (с), что в двух местах нужно было смотреть прохождение, и то, поиск нужного "триггера" по скриншоту леса занял минут 20. В этот
    Приятная игруха на 4-5 часов, супер графон, неплохой супер мистический сюжет, я ощутил флэшбеки по великолепному Алану Уэйку, плюс этот прекрасный лес сделан просто нереально. Музыка ну просто очень красивая.

    Из минусов – игра настолько "не ведёт тебя за руку" (с), что в двух местах нужно было смотреть прохождение, и то, поиск нужного "триггера" по скриншоту леса занял минут 20. В этот момент я почувствовал себя в симуляторе поиска закладок. Не представляю, как кто-то проходил её без руководства.
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  24. Aug 21, 2020
    7
    The story of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter was good. The atmosphere was really cool. It made me feel like a private detective. Actually, it's more like a "paranormal" detective game. If you like these kinds of games, you must give it a try. 3hrs on record.
  25. Aug 10, 2020
    10
    Beautiful masterpiece. This is the one in a million case, when astonishing graphics works together with creative mystic plot, combining each other.
  26. Jun 30, 2020
    8
    A stunningly beautiful walking simulator with some interesting puzzles and a good story.
  27. Apr 26, 2020
    8
    Superb story with some twists. Supernatural detective style.
    Very good game in a row with Edith Finch and Gone Home.
    Recommended!
  28. 4y4
    Feb 15, 2020
    8
    The scenery is stunning. The story is engaging and enjoyable and the atmosphere is immersive.
  29. Jan 10, 2020
    8
    The scenery and music in this game are absolutely stunning. Very nice setting and awesome graphics combined with a smart and eventful story. The end includes a pretty big plot-twist and i really didnt see it coming. Some Puzzles can be kind of hard so be prepared to figure it out by yourself if you are dedicated enough or to use Google sometimes. I would recommend to get it in a sale,The scenery and music in this game are absolutely stunning. Very nice setting and awesome graphics combined with a smart and eventful story. The end includes a pretty big plot-twist and i really didnt see it coming. Some Puzzles can be kind of hard so be prepared to figure it out by yourself if you are dedicated enough or to use Google sometimes. I would recommend to get it in a sale, since its very short playtime though. Absolutely recommend to buy it if you are into Puzzles, great atmospshere and detective-stuff!

    8/10
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  30. Sep 30, 2019
    7
    TVoEC is more of a wallpaper simulator than a game.

    I wouldn't rate TVoEC very high on gameplay. The puzzles are quite simplistic and too few. This game doesn't hand-hold you, so you'll probably get lost many times ... not that it's a bad thing. After all, it's an incredibly gorgeous and atmospheric game. Screenshots posted online simply do not do it enough justice. The visuals alone
    TVoEC is more of a wallpaper simulator than a game.

    I wouldn't rate TVoEC very high on gameplay. The puzzles are quite simplistic and too few. This game doesn't hand-hold you, so you'll probably get lost many times ... not that it's a bad thing.

    After all, it's an incredibly gorgeous and atmospheric game. Screenshots posted online simply do not do it enough justice. The visuals alone were worth purchasing the game.

    Honestly, I spent over 50% of my time wandering around playing photographer and taking screenshots via FRAPs. (Turn off subtitles for the best results)

    I'd definitely like to see these devs produce a similar game in the future with more focus on better puzzles & gameplay.
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  31. Sep 1, 2019
    8
    Es un juego corto pero definitivamente recomendable. El entorno en el que te envuelve, una trama llena de misterio y los puzzles lo hacen un juego muy bueno.
  32. Jun 2, 2019
    10
    I recommend the game for all lovers of beautiful and atmospheric games.

    I have to admit that the quest game could still catch me with its narration, because I am not a fan of this genre. The plot, or rather its culmination - forced to stand up and give applause to the developers and writers of this wonderful game. Picture: at the highest and pleasant level. Minuses at the game did
    I recommend the game for all lovers of beautiful and atmospheric games.

    I have to admit that the quest game could still catch me with its narration, because I am not a fan of this genre.
    The plot, or rather its culmination - forced to stand up and give applause to the developers and writers of this wonderful game.
    Picture: at the highest and pleasant level.

    Minuses at the game did not notice.
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  33. May 19, 2019
    8
    Once in a while, you stumble upon and old house, a peculiar landscape or some forgotten music that instantly triggers your imagination, that sets a dreamy mood you just can't let go. Oddly enough for a game, this is exactly what The Vanishing of Ethan Carter did for me. Nothing is rushed on you, you simply wander and uncover the story as you go along. The music, the narrative, theOnce in a while, you stumble upon and old house, a peculiar landscape or some forgotten music that instantly triggers your imagination, that sets a dreamy mood you just can't let go. Oddly enough for a game, this is exactly what The Vanishing of Ethan Carter did for me. Nothing is rushed on you, you simply wander and uncover the story as you go along. The music, the narrative, the landscape, everything is carefully balanced to let you breath and inhale the game. While this is of course along the lines of games like Gone Home and Dear Esther, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is on a completely different level in terms of making you care and being genuinely interesting. It's one of the very rare games in which I got goosebumps while not being directly spooked by some lurking horror waiting to devour my character in some horrible way. In all, on some rainy autumn night, you're looking for an atmospheric, well written, astonishingly beautiful adventure game, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter might be the perfect game for you.

    The only reason I don't give this game 10 out of 10 is that the level of interaction is a little too mild for my taste: a handful of basic puzzle solving here and there, some item finding and that's mostly it. While there is definitely more interaction that what you'll find in Dear Esther or Gone Home, being a puzzle solver at heart, for me, it's not quite enough.
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  34. Apr 28, 2019
    5
    Another walking simulator with a few easy puzzles thrown in with a lot of time consuming padding going from A to B to stretch out this game. Wow I went through all that initially interesting weird drama for the crappiest of crappy trope and cliché ending.
  35. Oct 30, 2018
    10
    It's the model example of how a story game should be done. There are no glued-on action elements, quick-time events or forced stealth gameplay sections. This game is about exploring the game world and the story at your own pace, through environments and their various different style puzzles.

    The game is visually beautiful and obviously the story is one of a kind. It's very affordable
    It's the model example of how a story game should be done. There are no glued-on action elements, quick-time events or forced stealth gameplay sections. This game is about exploring the game world and the story at your own pace, through environments and their various different style puzzles.

    The game is visually beautiful and obviously the story is one of a kind. It's very affordable game, give it a try if you're looking a quick break between action games or you never were into them.
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  36. Oct 18, 2018
    8
    Un muy pero que muy interesante walking simulator con apenas unos pocos puzles por un entorno estética y gráficamente asombrosos y un mundo lleno de enigmas y secretos que poco a poco irás descubriendo.

    Una de las aventuras gráficas recientes mejor construídas.

    Muy recomendable.
  37. Oct 16, 2018
    7
    A pleasant and atmospheric walking simulator that's beautiful to look at (at least the redux version) and which offers some inventive (though rather simple) puzzles that are mostly pretty fun to piece together and a n enjoyable little mystery plot. With a completion time around 4-5 hours it's the ideal length to immerse yourself in the beautiful scenery and cute story, without it startingA pleasant and atmospheric walking simulator that's beautiful to look at (at least the redux version) and which offers some inventive (though rather simple) puzzles that are mostly pretty fun to piece together and a n enjoyable little mystery plot. With a completion time around 4-5 hours it's the ideal length to immerse yourself in the beautiful scenery and cute story, without it starting to feel too contrived. I did not like the conclusion tthat much, but overall had a lovely time with The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. It's perfect for early October. Expand
  38. Oct 3, 2018
    7
    For me Ethan is a big disappointment. I didn't enjoy repetitive "chronology" puzzles and the story is quite dull. Mediocre title in it's genre.
  39. Aug 7, 2018
    7
    This game is interesting to say the least. It features stunning visuals, a good enough story and a very nice soundtrack. The main weaknesses I see from TVOER is the lack of interaction with the world. Also, while I know very well that this game is advertised as a narrative experience, I find the lack of any form of help playing against the fluidity of the narration itself. I enjoyed theThis game is interesting to say the least. It features stunning visuals, a good enough story and a very nice soundtrack. The main weaknesses I see from TVOER is the lack of interaction with the world. Also, while I know very well that this game is advertised as a narrative experience, I find the lack of any form of help playing against the fluidity of the narration itself. I enjoyed the game much more on my second playthough, when I actually knew where were the points of interest and was able to follow the story in the right order. Expand
  40. Jun 17, 2018
    6
    Игра совершенно не впечатлила. Некоторые головоломки напрочь лишены смысла.
  41. May 20, 2018
    7
    A puzzle walking sim with beautiful environments and a subtle dark atmosphere. The visuals are amazing - the extensive use of photogrammetry produces very realistic models and textures. In my opinion this game represents the largest advance in graphics since 2007's “Crysis”. The story is lean but well written and narrated. The puzzles are fairly simple, but use neat mechanics, and are veryA puzzle walking sim with beautiful environments and a subtle dark atmosphere. The visuals are amazing - the extensive use of photogrammetry produces very realistic models and textures. In my opinion this game represents the largest advance in graphics since 2007's “Crysis”. The story is lean but well written and narrated. The puzzles are fairly simple, but use neat mechanics, and are very well presented. A minor complaint is that there is no manual save system - only checkpoints, and they are quite far apart at times. This game runs well on old hardware, but stutters a bit.

    Overall, this is one of the best indie games of recent years.
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  42. May 10, 2018
    7
    Сложно назвать Исчезновение игрой, это скорее интерактивное кино, но не на Playstation.
    Довольно атмосферный квест с небезинтересным наполнением, весьма нелогичные задания сильно не напрягали, а отсутствие кровищи и прочего привычного нынче в индустрии шок-контента делают ее пригодной и для детей младшего школьного возраста.
    Не без минусов, но такие инди проекты просто утирают нос многим
    Сложно назвать Исчезновение игрой, это скорее интерактивное кино, но не на Playstation.
    Довольно атмосферный квест с небезинтересным наполнением, весьма нелогичные задания сильно не напрягали, а отсутствие кровищи и прочего привычного нынче в индустрии шок-контента делают ее пригодной и для детей младшего школьного возраста.
    Не без минусов, но такие инди проекты просто утирают нос многим ААА-тайтлам.

    Переиздание на UE4 отвратительно оптимизировано и сделано скорее для релиза на консолях.
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  43. May 1, 2018
    5
    Very beautiful game. Nice atmosphere. But.. the problem is: some puzzles might lead to confusion of the location of the puzzle. And you might get easily stuck, which is a big failure of such a game in my opinion. The lack of clarity makes you wonder too much if you are even on the right track instead of focusing on the puzzle. Another minus is that the story is far from engaging or wellVery beautiful game. Nice atmosphere. But.. the problem is: some puzzles might lead to confusion of the location of the puzzle. And you might get easily stuck, which is a big failure of such a game in my opinion. The lack of clarity makes you wonder too much if you are even on the right track instead of focusing on the puzzle. Another minus is that the story is far from engaging or well packed. I didn't have the patience to finish this game and I feel that it is far from what it could be. Ultimately, it left me feeling like I was playing some tech-demo instead of a finished game. Expand
  44. Mar 25, 2018
    5
    The is little more than a glorified tech demo. Firstly I played at the redux version at 4k, everything on max on a gtx 1080ti and let me tell you this game is probably the most graphically impressive game ever made so far. It is literally photo realistic and runs like a dream on the latest high end hardware. Truly impressive visuals. It's a shame then that there's next to no actualThe is little more than a glorified tech demo. Firstly I played at the redux version at 4k, everything on max on a gtx 1080ti and let me tell you this game is probably the most graphically impressive game ever made so far. It is literally photo realistic and runs like a dream on the latest high end hardware. Truly impressive visuals. It's a shame then that there's next to no actual game play in this 'game'. Yes, you do walk around and solve puzzles to piece together the sinister goings on from the past but the puzzles are so ridiculously easy once you figure out the very basic mechanics of them that they just feel completely tacked on and because of this I got bored very quickly indeed. I would say it's worth picking up for a few quid just to experience the visuals but apart from that it's just not worth it. Expand
  45. Feb 25, 2018
    7
    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter offers a compelling story, as well as plenty of atmosphere and a stunningly beautiful world that I thoroughly enjoyed exploring, stopping multiple times just to take in the view.

    While you aren't given much in the way of backstory, the game slowly reveals clues that allow you to piece the events of its Lovecraftian mystery together. The brilliant story is
    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter offers a compelling story, as well as plenty of atmosphere and a stunningly beautiful world that I thoroughly enjoyed exploring, stopping multiple times just to take in the view.

    While you aren't given much in the way of backstory, the game slowly reveals clues that allow you to piece the events of its Lovecraftian mystery together. The brilliant story is constructed from several smaller stories, and once you collect all of the clues, the game rewards you with a conclusion that is as moving as it is unexpected.

    One of the biggest reasons to play The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is its gorgeous and highly detailed world. Inspired by the Polish Karkonosze mountains, the developers have taken picturesque scenes from the real world and somehow made them look even better in game. I found myself stopping frequently to admire sweeping views of the game's scenery or examine small details like the bark on the trees or the leaf litter underfoot.

    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter warns you before the game even begins that it "does not hold your hand" and this aspect of the game may prove frustrating for some players. Unsure of where to go or what to do, I personally ended up getting lost and quickly resorting to a walkthrough for some much needed guidance. More patient players may be able to figure things out for themselves, but I needed a little more direction myself.

    The game's puzzles, too, while not particularly complicated, are another potential source of frustration, as it is often unclear at first what the object of the puzzle is. Most players probably won't have any problem solving the puzzles, but if, like me, you're not a huge puzzle fan, you might find them somewhat bothersome.

    Overall, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is worth playing if only for its beautiful environments and rich story. I personally did not enjoy the puzzles and found the lack of guidance vexing at times, but others may enjoy having the freedom to explore the game's world at their own pace and complete the puzzles in whatever order they like.

    While you may not like everything about The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, if you think you may enjoy even some aspects of the game, it's probably worth picking up, as there's nothing else quite like it.
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  46. Jan 6, 2018
    8
    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is one of the best 'walking simulators' out there: it has the amazing visuals, interesting story to tell and even some actual gameplay)
  47. 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
  48. Dec 14, 2017
    9
    I lost count of how many times I stopped and just looked at the distance while immersing myself in the world and eye-popping graphics. Combine that with a haunting story, brilliant writing and voice acting that really connects and you have a game so good, even buying it at full price feels like a steal.

    Every time I play this, I can almost feel the wind in the game brush against my face.
  49. Jun 6, 2017
    8
    Awsome graphics, the most realistic graphics I've ever seen in a playable game. The story is very good and the atmosphere is amazing. The only drawback is that it can sometimes micro-stutter when entering new aeras and you can't manually save. that means that you'll have to wait for it to autosave so only play the game when you have enough time. The stutters, the short story and theAwsome graphics, the most realistic graphics I've ever seen in a playable game. The story is very good and the atmosphere is amazing. The only drawback is that it can sometimes micro-stutter when entering new aeras and you can't manually save. that means that you'll have to wait for it to autosave so only play the game when you have enough time. The stutters, the short story and the feeling of sometimes playing a walking simulator makes it an 8/10. Expand
  50. Apr 7, 2017
    9
    Some people say there's no replay value to this one. I can see why they say that, but I don't think it's true for me at all. I'll play this again just to experience the journey through these beautiful scenes. The graphics system used to create this game really is something special - the closest thing to real life I've seen in a game yet, by some margin. The gameplay is mostly "find theSome people say there's no replay value to this one. I can see why they say that, but I don't think it's true for me at all. I'll play this again just to experience the journey through these beautiful scenes. The graphics system used to create this game really is something special - the closest thing to real life I've seen in a game yet, by some margin. The gameplay is mostly "find the objects, set the order of events" stuff, aside from a couple of more interesting puzzles, but there's a good enough weight of satisfaction and purpose to carry you through to the end. For the £15, you get about 5-6 hours of entertainment.

    If this doesn't sound like a 9/10 for you, wait for the price to fall to a level you find acceptable, but make sure you do play it. It's a remarkable achievement, and a great sign of where games are going.
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  51. 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.
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  52. Mar 17, 2017
    8
    Disclaimer: The review hours played are from "The Vanishing of Ethan Carter" not "The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Redux" version I played (it took me about 9hs). But Steam only let users to review on the original game.

    Pros: - An interesting story to discover while you reconstruct events that happened on different places of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter world. You must like, detective
    Disclaimer: The review hours played are from "The Vanishing of Ethan Carter" not "The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Redux" version I played (it took me about 9hs). But Steam only let users to review on the original game.

    Pros:
    - An interesting story to discover while you reconstruct events that happened on different places of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter world. You must like, detective stories with a few twists and of course exploring and observe details.
    - For a "walking sim" the difficulty of the puzzles are decent. Many walking sims these days are a bit stray forward. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter does this well with clever design of the map, of course with classic design hints but it feels different than any other games of the genre.
    - Voice acting and music are decent. Maybe the music shines a bit more. The best incidental song is at the last part of the game: https://youtu.be/i45SRNKes5Y

    - You can miss a few reconstruction of events and easter eggs but at the end you can backtrack so enjoy explore more if you liked the overall game.
    - Graphics are great. One of the best looking Unreal Engine 4 games out there. Textures are pretty cleverer scattered through the map without much memory consumption. The Redux version was for free for those who own the original game and it looks a lot better. New shaders for some buildings and reflective objects, interiors are soften with a bit of fake GI and post process effects. Vegetation clipping is more "organic" (agh! that hipster word!). Water looks better with screen space reflections and a new normal bump pattern and daylight scenes have better color grading in some areas
    You can see more here: https://youtu.be/VmSR2ySBl08 but I will say something VERY VERY important.
    On video you'll miss A LOT of detail. You should play this game, even as a benchmark.
    - Game lenght depends on your pace and if you try to find those few hidden achievements (there are four I guess). Of course I recommend a guide for two of them but the two others "home" and "the tunnel" are hard to miss.
    - The ending was better than expected :')

    Cons:
    - Joystick scheme during recontruction of events could have been better. Zoom with the LT don't have pressure sensitivity (I hate that!)
    - Characters models, and rigging are a bit clunky (but this doesn't affect the story much).
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  53. Dec 27, 2016
    7
    The game is amazingly beautiful and doesn't require much power to run, definitely one of the best games in terms of graphics/performance ratio, voice acting is also great, but gameplay and story itself didn't really got me that much. It was very promising at the beginning but was falling short with time. It felt like all of this is around nothing and the game is about nothing, literally.The game is amazingly beautiful and doesn't require much power to run, definitely one of the best games in terms of graphics/performance ratio, voice acting is also great, but gameplay and story itself didn't really got me that much. It was very promising at the beginning but was falling short with time. It felt like all of this is around nothing and the game is about nothing, literally. Still very interesting game and definitely worth trying out, maybe it will get to you more than it did to me, but I have mixed feelings about it. Expand
  54. 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...
  55. Nov 10, 2016
    5
    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a very pretty three-to-four hour long supernatural horror game. You play as Paul Prospero, a detective with a penchant for the supernatural who has been receiving letters for a long time from one of his fans, Ethan Carter. Gradually, however, it becomes increasingly clear to him that Ethan is in terrible danger, and so he sets off to go rescue him from theThe Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a very pretty three-to-four hour long supernatural horror game. You play as Paul Prospero, a detective with a penchant for the supernatural who has been receiving letters for a long time from one of his fans, Ethan Carter. Gradually, however, it becomes increasingly clear to him that Ethan is in terrible danger, and so he sets off to go rescue him from the supernatural dangers around him, on what he says he is certain will be his final case.

    The gameplay itself is very much that of a walking simulator, though unlike pure walking simulators, there are some (pretty simple) puzzles present in this game. The core gameplay consists of going to a new area, finding various environmental elements in the area, and then putting them together until you’ve gained enough to unlock a cutscene. Sometimes, you have to solve crimes – the deaths of various people – and to do so, you must put the elements of each scene in chronological order. Other puzzles simply unlock when you collect all the elements, while others require some other puzzle to solve them.

    This is, perhaps, the game’s greatest weakness – while the game has a nice aesthetic to it, a lot of the puzzles fundamentally consist of wandering around trying to find things in the environment you can interact with. At its best, this feels like a detective wandering aroun searching for clues. At its worst, it feels like “find the hidden object”. The very first puzzle in the game, somewhat obnoxiously, occurs before you know about how these puzzle elements work, and it is very easy to overlook some of them.

    The core story is decent, but kind of standard – Ethan Carter has woken up “the Sleeper”, some sort of eldritch entity which infects the minds of his family members who start trying to kill him on the Sleeper’s order. The story is presented slightly out of order – one of the very first puzzles in the game actually comes very late chronologically – but otherwise, it is mostly in order, as Ethan and his family members struggle against the Sleeper and each other as they are each possessed in turn. It is presented decently enough, and through the story we get some idea of the personality of each of Ethan’s family members, as well as his feelings towards them.

    That being said, the game has a very standard twist ending which, while I saw it coming towards the end, wasn’t really something that I appreciated very much – it wasn’t terribly interesting as a twist, though the game did a decent enough job of setting up clues about it along the way. And ultimately, the core plot is all very by-the-numbers, while the side-stories, while a bit more eclectic, sometimes feel like they’re outliers just so they can be outliers.

    If there is one thing this game does very well, though, it is the presentation – the Redux version of the game (which is what I played) is gorgeous, and the various side-stories look very pretty. Really, the game as a whole is very visually appealing and is a pleasure to be in, even if dark mine environment #762 is kind of… standard.

    That being said, I’m left feeling ambivalent about it. I don’t know if I can recommend buying it; the experience isn’t bad, and if you already own it, it might be worth three hours of your time, but it isn’t some amazingly above-average experience. The visuals are great but the story is ultimately only okay, and I’m not sure if you’ll walk away from this thinking “Man, that was great” so much as “Well, that was decent.”

    At $20, this game feels overpriced; I got it for $3.50, and I think that was about right considering. I don’t feel ripped off. But I don’t know that I can say “Go buy this.”
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  56. Nov 7, 2016
    6
    Positive: graphics, voice acting, controls.
    Negative: everything else.
    This game is *really* short (3-4 hours) and the story, well... too short to talk about without spoilers: let's say the ending is a disappointment. The graphic is nice because the engine is great, there where were developers are supposed to make an effort (internal and characters) there are - immediately noticeable
    Positive: graphics, voice acting, controls.
    Negative: everything else.

    This game is *really* short (3-4 hours) and the story, well... too short to talk about without spoilers: let's say the ending is a disappointment. The graphic is nice because the engine is great, there where were developers are supposed to make an effort (internal and characters) there are - immediately noticeable -deficiencies and approximations. Definitely not a 18,99€ game.
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  57. 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.
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  58. Aug 27, 2016
    5
    I just didn't like it at all, there was absolutely no structure whatsoever and really no game, it's better described as a sandbox tech demo for Unreal Engine 4 and in that regards it's fantastic because it's a truly beautiful game with some of the best visuals I've ever seen, and the audio was great as well. This may seem like a harsh score but it just wasn't fun, and even though it was soI just didn't like it at all, there was absolutely no structure whatsoever and really no game, it's better described as a sandbox tech demo for Unreal Engine 4 and in that regards it's fantastic because it's a truly beautiful game with some of the best visuals I've ever seen, and the audio was great as well. This may seem like a harsh score but it just wasn't fun, and even though it was so short I was already sick of it by the end. Expand
  59. Aug 26, 2016
    8
    I haven't played a lot of exploration games like this yet, but i really did like this one, everything about it.
    A game short and fun is so much better than one long and boring.
  60. Aug 11, 2016
    10
    Beautiful game. Atmosphere is on point. Dark room, headphones or nice speakers recommended. Immersive. Love it and enjoy it. Even now after finishing the game I find my self getting in the game just to look around.
  61. Jul 18, 2016
    9
    Beautiful graphics, great story with a somewhat easy to predict plot-twist. Really well executed. Needs more content but can't blame the developers. Torn between a 9 and a 10, but have to settle with 9. Please make another one of these great games!
  62. Jul 14, 2016
    7
    First thing - I don't know why, but this is one of the few games that made me motion sick. I am prone to motion sickness on travel (I puke every single time on a long-distance bus), but playing FPS games seldom make me sick. This is the first game that made me dizzy within a minute and I had to stop playing it. I bet it's because of the motion blur and the lack of HUD. Anyway that's whyFirst thing - I don't know why, but this is one of the few games that made me motion sick. I am prone to motion sickness on travel (I puke every single time on a long-distance bus), but playing FPS games seldom make me sick. This is the first game that made me dizzy within a minute and I had to stop playing it. I bet it's because of the motion blur and the lack of HUD. Anyway that's why I've only watched a walkthrough and didn't play the game. No complains about the Unreal Engine 4 graphics, shame you cannot interact with the environment more. Little details like voice acting and animations need to be polished up. Still, I think we should support the indie developers. Idea of the game is quite interesting and I'd like to more games like this. Expand
  63. Jul 5, 2016
    7
    One of the most disappointing endings ever. And yes, in my opinion worse than Mass Effect 3's (Which wasn't that bad). Expect to get stuck for hours if you can't figure out the mechanic of finding out where certain objects are. When you see the same word many times keep moving until they all come together. Knowing that would have saved me hours. Definitely not worth 20$ as if you know whatOne of the most disappointing endings ever. And yes, in my opinion worse than Mass Effect 3's (Which wasn't that bad). Expect to get stuck for hours if you can't figure out the mechanic of finding out where certain objects are. When you see the same word many times keep moving until they all come together. Knowing that would have saved me hours. Definitely not worth 20$ as if you know what your doing it could be completed in a hour. But pretty much everything besides that is great. Things are really mysterious and surprising. The first minute is very scary. And it's cool that some of the people behind one of the most underrated game of all time, Bulletstorm, made this. Next time, just don't screw up the ending. It makes everything you've done seem like a waste of time. Expand
  64. Jun 9, 2016
    7
    Stunning graphics, but not much more. Long and boring dialogues with poor character animations, rare and simple puzzles. No special meaning or message in the plot, though I expected to find some (or should I look better?). This game couldn't hold me for a complete walkthrough. Much worth seeing, but probably not really worth walking through.
  65. Apr 13, 2016
    5
    I played the redux version first since it installed first so that's why i only have 10 minutes play time but both versions are apparently the same although oddly i ran into some strange lag(not framerate) issues in the non-redux version. So yeah the vanishing of ethan carter, not much of a game here, puzzles are silly and annoying, the game is very minimalistic and if you are sufferingI played the redux version first since it installed first so that's why i only have 10 minutes play time but both versions are apparently the same although oddly i ran into some strange lag(not framerate) issues in the non-redux version. So yeah the vanishing of ethan carter, not much of a game here, puzzles are silly and annoying, the game is very minimalistic and if you are suffering with an headache and want to chillout while getting frustrated this game is for you. It's beautiful though ohhh it's beautiful, no doubt, just not my cup of tea, i need direction in my games, i hate not knowing where to go or what to do, i need my hand held pretty much, i wish i could appreciate games like this but this game makes Broken Sword look like a Michael Bay film, the game is extremely vague, almost bordering on Nihilism:D.

    Not for me sadly 5/10
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  66. Apr 11, 2016
    6
    great graphics, great atmosphere, nice story, the game had me 100% but i really didnt like the end. if this game had more choices and be little more crime detective..
  67. 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.
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  68. Jan 25, 2016
    9
    Without question, the most beautiful game environment I have ever been in. The game has everything: great writing, touching story, interesting puzzles, tons of unique places to explore. My only knock is that just when it really started to rock it was over. This game is short!

    Others have mentioned they missed things or experienced them in the wrong order. I guess I was lucky but I
    Without question, the most beautiful game environment I have ever been in. The game has everything: great writing, touching story, interesting puzzles, tons of unique places to explore. My only knock is that just when it really started to rock it was over. This game is short!

    Others have mentioned they missed things or experienced them in the wrong order. I guess I was lucky but I just slowly worked over every inch of ground as I progressed through the valley. The story unfolds just as it should if it you explore that way.
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  69. 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.
  70. hte
    Jan 18, 2016
    9
    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter manages to break the boundaries of what a video game can do with a few characters and a beautiful setting. The story is much more in-depth and memorable than anything I have ever played before and constantly tests your mind and your patience with smart puzzles that tie into the story in interesting ways. If you like your games to play themselves for you, thisThe Vanishing of Ethan Carter manages to break the boundaries of what a video game can do with a few characters and a beautiful setting. The story is much more in-depth and memorable than anything I have ever played before and constantly tests your mind and your patience with smart puzzles that tie into the story in interesting ways. If you like your games to play themselves for you, this isn't for you, and that is clearly stated at the beginning of the game. That being said, I would be lying if I didn't look up a guide for 1 or 2 puzzles. This kind of seriousness differentiates Ethan Carter from the "quick-satisfaction" type of games we see popping up all the time.

    After my 7-ish hours (completed) with The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, I can whole-heatedly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a challenging puzzle, breathtaking visuals, and a story that leaves you wondering days later.
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  71. 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.
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  72. Dec 16, 2015
    7
    Nice, nice nice. My third adventure game in a row I'm reviewing here (and it's my third review in total). It's a full fledged adventure game, full of nice puzzles like you'd want adventures to be. I don't think the puzzles were particularly difficult. It's a walking simulator though. You walk quite a bit as places to be are distant. Also, it's easy to miss some places. Luckily at the mostNice, nice nice. My third adventure game in a row I'm reviewing here (and it's my third review in total). It's a full fledged adventure game, full of nice puzzles like you'd want adventures to be. I don't think the puzzles were particularly difficult. It's a walking simulator though. You walk quite a bit as places to be are distant. Also, it's easy to miss some places. Luckily at the most important spot you'll get magical help to pin-point the places you have missed. It's user-friendly implemented.

    This is a game where the story (in the end) is more important perhaps. I think the puzzles have been deliberately kept accessible. The game wants you to arrive to the point where you have a full understand of what is really going on. Although I figured it out beforehand because of the disconnect between the cases you had to solve as a paranormal detective.

    I think a score of 7/10 isn't a "mixed" score at all. It's a good score. I didn't want to give it a full 8/10 because some cases to solve were way too easy and too many individual puzzles were way too easy for me as well. After having solved 3 out of 7 cases, I wondered what the point of all this was, Then I suspected what really was going on. But the overwhelming feeling throughout was questioning whether I could keep enjoying this game.

    After having solved the fourth case, the story has unfolded completely. It depends on the order of things you do, but there it is. So when the "big reveal" happened, there were still three cases left to explore. So I went there, solved them and they were most disappointing.

    The graphics - the 3D world if you will - are really nice. It's the strongest part of this game and it will outdo most games. The main storyline is ok. Interacting with the environment is implemented nicely. No problems there.

    Would I play a similar game like this? For sure! But sometimes less is more. I.e. solving 7 cases when you know everything after having done 4 of them is too much. And again, the last three cases were kinda rubbish to be honest.

    So there it is. The game is nice but not really good.
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  73. Dec 1, 2015
    8
    the most beautiful graphics i ever see ... beautiful game
    . . . .
  74. Nov 26, 2015
    5
    Fantastic Graphic, but acceptable game play. Story is not really interesting. Very short story too. May it is just me, never really been a fan of this kind of game.
  75. Nov 11, 2015
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amazing graphics coupled with a story that ended reminding me of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge and you get one of the best indie games of 2015. Yes the ending can be Shyamalanish, but it is a good story with a lot of creativity that you wouldn't expect. Expand
  76. Nov 9, 2015
    8
    One of the most visually impressive games around, made even more amazing by a new, remade version with an updated engine and some of the original versions annoyances supposedly ironed out. I haven't played the redux yet, but it comes packed in with the original game for new and past purchasers, which is a very nice move on the developer's part.

    With some of the most impressively
    One of the most visually impressive games around, made even more amazing by a new, remade version with an updated engine and some of the original versions annoyances supposedly ironed out. I haven't played the redux yet, but it comes packed in with the original game for new and past purchasers, which is a very nice move on the developer's part.

    With some of the most impressively detailed environments around, the sheer attention to detail alone is astounding. I'd almost recommend this one just for the enjoyment of wandering around looking at stuff, and I'm not the sort who usually cares about graphics. Realistic backgrounds meet strange fantasy elements to make for a very distinct look and feel to things. It really is like playing a dream sometimes.

    But prettiness aside, there is also a mystery to be solved here. It's quite a dark one, involving murder, cults, and other things I won't spoil. It all wraps up in a way I found a little unsatisfying, but it's still a compelling narrative to follow. Which is good, because narrative is all he game really has going for it in terms of game stuff. Exploring, some fairly simple puzzle solving, and piecing together the storyline is all there is to keep you busy in the fairly short playtime, but this one's much more compelling than the usual narrative-only games, with some wonderful twists and surprises in store for you as you explore. Not for anyone who wants action, but great at what it sets out to do.
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  77. Oct 18, 2015
    10
    Very Good aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
  78. Sep 8, 2015
    8
    Typically I am not interested in playing these "Walking Simulator" games. However, after trying this game on a friend's computer for about thirty minutes, I decided to buy the game myself. I will avoid narrative spoilers--aside from a comment on these types of games' take on stories--yet I will give a starter's guide for getting around some annoyances of the beginning part of the game (andTypically I am not interested in playing these "Walking Simulator" games. However, after trying this game on a friend's computer for about thirty minutes, I decided to buy the game myself. I will avoid narrative spoilers--aside from a comment on these types of games' take on stories--yet I will give a starter's guide for getting around some annoyances of the beginning part of the game (and a certain achievement).

    Walk. Explore. Think. The name of the game.

    That's the gist of the gameplay. I think out of all the games trying to attempt this format (i.e. any Chinese Room game), this game is almost perfect with its execution. Mostly because the game has some few challenging puzzles and gameplay changes to keep things interesting.

    The narrative is not given to you; it's rewarded for exploring and solving puzzles. More importantly, there is a cohesive feel to the story that you can follow, even out of order. Even though you will most likely play out certain events in a linear manner, there is enough player-choice involved to make the experience feel like a genuine mystery.

    Besides walking, you, a supernatural investigator, have the ability to piece together clues by setting up the situation as before and watching them unfold. There's even a part of the game where you have to play out events in a specific order in order to get the straight story. (Similar to Murdered: Soul Suspect, except without the unnecessary stealth). This puzzle--as well as the final puzzle of the game--are the weakest aspects, in terms of gameplay, but the paranormal ability really does immerse you as the protagonist and it makes sense of certain strange things that unfold in the game.

    You also have some basic puzzles that require you to wander the nearest area for clues. Sometimes everything will be located in the same room; other times, the one thing you need is located somewhere else because, reasons. The game has one or two old adventure-game like issues of puzzle-pieces being hidden for the sake of artificial time-lengthening. But, thankfully, most of these puzzles are done right and they're logical without being too obvious.

    The usual structure for this game is: Find new area, search for clues or solve the puzzle, then solve the paranormal investigation.

    And as you walk around the countryside of Red River, you'll have time to contemplate all the things you'll find along the way, hear little bits of conversation from the protagonist, and experience random stuff you didn't think would happen. The general room of thumb for knowing when it's safe to move on: If you have found the Ethan page or got the achievement, you can go somewhere else.

    These Stories Need More Active Voice

    I'm going to make this brief. I get why this game is set-up the way it is and how the mystery is unfolded to the protagonist. But, please, can we have more stories that have us engaged or doing something with the actual plot? We can still discover things and explore without being detached from all the interesting bits of the stories.

    This game gets a pass because it does something creative and comes up with some believable explanations for how you experience the story. I'm by no means calling this game's story original. I think it is a well-executed, neatly made game and story. As with most mystery-stuff, you quickly get diminishing returns (in this case the first hour and a half were the peak). The cliches too, even with the set-up of the game being by the books, never bothered me.

    Although, that ending--I both extremely hate the sucker-punch, but it makes sense. Perhaps too much sense for my tastes. But that's all I'll say about the story.

    Starter Guide

    [*]You'll get no tips, hints or indicators. Only notes.
    [*]The first two achievements/puzzles are the only tutorial of the mechanics. If you go past the blocked-off sign past the rail-car, go back and solve the two puzzles. They'll help you understand how to find clues, interact with objects and use the paranormal abilities. (You can always come back to the starting point at any time in the game.)
    [*]IF YOU WANT TO SAVE YOUR GAME, then you need to find the nearest Ethan note. You can save at any note and that's where you'll start next-time. However, all your previous puzzles/items are undone/gone.
    [*]You don't need to beat the game in one sitting--but one achievement requires you to do all three parts in one sitting or it'll reset.
    [*]Best experience is to play through this game for one evening sitting. It'll probably take you 3 to 5 hours. The difficulty is first understanding how you need to solve the game's puzzles.

    I think this game is a decent title that's worth your money. Perhaps on a 50% discount if you're not satisfied with the amount of content or if you're not sure if this game is worth your time. I think if people are willing to buy games like Stanley Parable, then I think TVEC is more than welcome in the marketplace.
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  79. Sep 6, 2015
    6
    They could of done so much more with the ending, pissed me off.
    Enjoyed my time with the game, about 4 hours till completion with having to stop and look at playtrough on youtube in 2 cases to be able to continue because I was stuck on a puzzle.
    They do great with the intro some nice puzzles and story keeps you playing trough, a shame the ending of it is just that, SPOILER WARNING* a
    They could of done so much more with the ending, pissed me off.
    Enjoyed my time with the game, about 4 hours till completion with having to stop and look at playtrough on youtube in 2 cases to be able to continue because I was stuck on a puzzle.

    They do great with the intro some nice puzzles and story keeps you playing trough, a shame the ending of it is just that, SPOILER WARNING* a story created by a kid, even you were created, leaves you with a feeling of unnocomplishment in all what you have done trough out the entire game, what a shame.

    Beautifull graphics, had to activate the centre crosshair and put down the FOV because I was getting quite a lot of motion sickness though, still feel a bit weired now (have just finished the game btw).

    I wouldn't generally recommend this game to people, they're uglier but surely better games out there.
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  80. Jul 22, 2015
    8
    It's a really good game, maybe not the longest, but it's totally worth the play. Seriously, the 6 or 7 hours I got out of it were awesome. I'll make a simple Pros and Cons.

    Pros: Beautiful, obviously. Scenes are awesome, views are amazing. Love the scene recreation, won't spoil it, but you'll see. Very clever story progression, love the twist at the end. I mean, it's just
    It's a really good game, maybe not the longest, but it's totally worth the play. Seriously, the 6 or 7 hours I got out of it were awesome. I'll make a simple Pros and Cons.

    Pros:

    Beautiful, obviously. Scenes are awesome, views are amazing.

    Love the scene recreation, won't spoil it, but you'll see.

    Very clever story progression, love the twist at the end.

    I mean, it's just really enjoyable.

    Cons:

    Sadly, there's one game-breaking thing. I love how it's open for you to explore, but that makes it very easy to mess up. Just by looking around, walking and enjoying the scenery, in the beginning, I missed the first two things you HAVE to do to go on with the game. It made it very confusing, and it kinda kept happening. So, check a walkthrough now and again to make sure you didn't skip anything.

    Just don't use the walkthrough to solve the actual puzzle, and this game really is awesome. Highly recommended.
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  81. Jul 17, 2015
    8
    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
    A beautiful puzzle
    The vanishing is a great looking game with a dash of challenge and mystery essential a linear openish world murder mystery game that doesn’t hold your hand Youre placed into a gorgeous world and aren’t really told what to do youll come across notes and dead bodies and have to figure out how they got there you do this by examining
    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
    A beautiful puzzle
    The vanishing is a great looking game with a dash of challenge and mystery
    essential a linear openish world murder mystery game that doesn’t hold your hand
    Youre placed into a gorgeous world and aren’t really told what to do
    youll come across notes and dead bodies and have to figure out how they got there
    you do this by examining scenes and items
    using your sense will show you where an item youre missing is located visually without just handing the solution to you
    you still need to put in the work of studying your surroundings.
    After you’ve found all of your clues you can touch the dead body and attempt to place the events in chronical order to see how they all played out and get clues on where to head to next in your search for Ethan
    This is the best mystery solving ive ever seen in a game and think developers should really take note.
    This is the new standard.
    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter will take you on a great adventures and various locations.
    You’ll never feel too board, as the pacing is perfect enough and problem solving is simple enough to not have you feel frustrated or like you are dragging yourself through this 4 hour game.
    The downside though is of course that it is only 3 to 4 hours long and there is absolutely no replayability.
    Once you’ve found the few secrets and surprises the games have to offer that’s about it..
    The openish world is very linear and leaves little to no room for exploration.
    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a one time deal
    And honestly I think this one time deal is worth your time
    for what it is
    Action-Adventure/Murder Mystery: 8.5/10
    Overall: 8/10
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  82. Jun 24, 2015
    8
    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is an absolute beauty of a game, from its stunning environmental landscapes to the fantastic atmospheric sound effects that you hear while walking around. I feel that this game has a mix of L.A. Noire with Dear Esther and a bit of Amnesia: The Dark Descent thrown in.

    The story is very good and the ending is very good too. Although the game is pretty short,
    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is an absolute beauty of a game, from its stunning environmental landscapes to the fantastic atmospheric sound effects that you hear while walking around. I feel that this game has a mix of L.A. Noire with Dear Esther and a bit of Amnesia: The Dark Descent thrown in.

    The story is very good and the ending is very good too. Although the game is pretty short, with only a 3-4 hour length in gameplay, it is still worth getting! Also, The Astronauts made a prequel comic which you can read to find out what happened before the events that take place in the game.

    The voice acting, although not the greatest I've heard, it is pretty good but don't expect to hear AAA voice actors in this game

    The environment as mentioned before is stellar and beautiful in many ways, I would recommend buying/playing this game on a computer that can actually handle it, although I was able to play it on the High settings, I did experience some sticking in areas where there is a lot of objects. And the FPS did choke down to even 10 FPS!

    Although I never saw one single loading screen, I did notice some bugs in the game, in one part I had to put a certain scene in chronological order and two of the player models were missing even though I could still arrange them how I wanted them to be, plus the game did crash once (but that was probably my PC chocking itself with the amount of stuff it had to handle)

    Even though the game is great, I wish they could of improved on some stuff. The place where you visit which is Red Creek Valley, is pretty big! I know that the developers wanted to immerse you into the game, but I wish there was a few maps placed into the environment like in the Mine (players who played this bit, you know which bit!) had. Plus some of the items you have to search you don't even realize until you almost reach the end, another thing which also annoyed me was where you are in the scene that took place, you would either have to find something or rearrange something, some of the items took me over 30 minutes to complete because I didn't know what on earth I was supposed to do! Also, the puzzles are a bit tricky until you get the hang of it!

    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a great game to play and a job well done to the developers as this was there first game by the company The Astronauts, although the game may be a bit short and it may be a bit frustrating at times, this is a great first person mystery game!
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  83. Jun 14, 2015
    6
    Great ambiance, interesting puzzle mechanics (i'm almost willing to forgive how long it took me to find a certain object..) and captivating enough story.
    A bit too much walking.

    Worth trying for those interested in something different, but not for everybody and not that fascinating.
  84. May 18, 2015
    6
    Many reviews complain that the game is a "walking simulator" and that there isn't much game there. However, I have the opposite problem. As everyone says the setting is gorgeous. I completely enjoyed the first ~10-15 minutes of the game. I walked along a train track that's hugging a lake and leads over a dam to a abandoned little settlement. But then "the game" starts. It throws tediousMany reviews complain that the game is a "walking simulator" and that there isn't much game there. However, I have the opposite problem. As everyone says the setting is gorgeous. I completely enjoyed the first ~10-15 minutes of the game. I walked along a train track that's hugging a lake and leads over a dam to a abandoned little settlement. But then "the game" starts. It throws tedious puzzles at you that just were chores. To make matters worse the game eventually leads you underground. Obviously there is no stunning landscape underground. During certain parts of puzzles the game also applies a blue filter which is supposed to make the game spooky. However, I don't care for that, I just want to see the pretty landscape. I loved Dear Esther which just had you walk through its beautiful landscape and didn't interrupt you with silly puzzles. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter would have been much better if it either had completely left out the silly puzzles or put enough effort into that part of the game to actually make it enjoyable. Expand
  85. May 13, 2015
    6
    Ethan Carter was an ok game, worth a play for five bucks or less, but that goes for many games. It is a slow and somewhat boring game and I enjoyed it less than I thought I would. I liked Gone Home far more personally. But it was better than Ether One.

    It has truly fantastic graphics, solid but sparse narration, and a decent story. I can see why many people do like it, but it wasn't
    Ethan Carter was an ok game, worth a play for five bucks or less, but that goes for many games. It is a slow and somewhat boring game and I enjoyed it less than I thought I would. I liked Gone Home far more personally. But it was better than Ether One.

    It has truly fantastic graphics, solid but sparse narration, and a decent story. I can see why many people do like it, but it wasn't for me, even at 75% off.
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  86. Apr 25, 2015
    10
    Well what can i say. Its one of the createst games of our time. You actually fell like you are inside of the story a lovable story and gameplay, which come with some excellent graphics.
  87. Apr 11, 2015
    6
    This is a worthwhile effort at photo realism in games. For that alone the developer Astronauts should be given credit. How else will we get there if companies not aim for it?

    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is an open world adventure game where you play the role of some sort of detective. You are trying to join the missing pieces in an aftermath of carnage in a small seemingly ordinary
    This is a worthwhile effort at photo realism in games. For that alone the developer Astronauts should be given credit. How else will we get there if companies not aim for it?

    The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is an open world adventure game where you play the role of some sort of detective. You are trying to join the missing pieces in an aftermath of carnage in a small seemingly ordinary town.

    The things I like about this game are:
    - Graphics: Absolutely breathtaking
    - Atmosphere: The game draws you in to explore its mysteries.
    - Simplicity: Playing the game is easier than solving the crime scenes, which gives you some satisfaction in the end.

    The things I don't like are:
    - You're unable to save the game if you exit at any point between the autosave feature; this is VERY annoying. IMO there is no need to even save the game, you just should have continued from your last position.
    - There are some stupid stuff, like no doors to open and no people around, ie no signs of life.
    - The game points you to no direction and there are some unorthodox gameplay features so at some point you are stuck and frustrated and the only thing you can do is to find out how you can get past the puzzle by following a game walkthrough.
    - The game is too short and most of the time is spent in the wild.

    The nice-to-have's are:
    - It's always before sunset in this town. A day and night cycle would have been wonderful, you know wandering around in the middle of the night with a flashlight.

    All in all, this is a good game if you happen to get it on sale, especially if you have a high end system and some patience.
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  88. Apr 4, 2015
    5
    Another in a long line of mostly non-interactive Unreal Engine walking games where nothing much happens. You have to solve a series of mostly illogical logic puzzles that piece together a back-story of how a little boy goes missing. Too vague for its own good, with no gameplay mechanics to speak of.
  89. Mar 23, 2015
    9
    First of all, this is the most beautiful game I have ever seen. Not just from the graphics standpoint, but primarily the world design, nature, environments are just breathtaking and it's been a pleasure walking in those forests. Really good music helps to set very unique atmosphere. Interesting and mysterious story is slowly unveiling. Some of the puzzles are quite rewarding and funFirst of all, this is the most beautiful game I have ever seen. Not just from the graphics standpoint, but primarily the world design, nature, environments are just breathtaking and it's been a pleasure walking in those forests. Really good music helps to set very unique atmosphere. Interesting and mysterious story is slowly unveiling. Some of the puzzles are quite rewarding and fun figuring them out. No hand-holding whatsoever, no quest markers, no objectives, no map, no UI. 100% immersion. I love it. It took me about 7 hours to complete, but half of it was just walking around without a clue what to do next, which is my only complaint, after about 2 hours of searching every nook and cranny of this world I lost my patience, checked the net and found out that one of the crucial items glitched on me, making the game unable to progress any further, ruining my experience near the end, so i cannot go for the perfect score, but it was still one of the best gaming experiences in a long time. 9/10 Expand
  90. Mar 16, 2015
    9
    Emotionally it's Dear Esther, difficulty and play-style wise it's Kings Quest. There is also a level with a tribute to Amnesia in it (I noticed a mention of Frictional Games in the credits). The forensic replays are something unique to the game and stunning, probably the most enjoyable part. The story and mystery are great. Although I did enjoy the puzzles, I found they sometimes broke theEmotionally it's Dear Esther, difficulty and play-style wise it's Kings Quest. There is also a level with a tribute to Amnesia in it (I noticed a mention of Frictional Games in the credits). The forensic replays are something unique to the game and stunning, probably the most enjoyable part. The story and mystery are great. Although I did enjoy the puzzles, I found they sometimes broke the flow of the game as I wanted to continue the story and not get bogged down in them. Others may find those challenges to be the most fun part of the game, and will want to take their time and enjoy the challenge. I did go e-z mode and found some walkthroughs to continue the story line as that is what I was most interested in. Expand
  91. Feb 14, 2015
    10
    Excellent stuff, intensive story and beautiful graphics. Totally worth to buy. This game is one of very few what needs to be made as movie also. It really went into my feelings. Emotional **** Funny stuff, example "Gaylord" -poster somewhere middle of game. Listen carefully every video and it makes the game feel like a movie.

    Only fault of this game was it's shortness, but that didnt
    Excellent stuff, intensive story and beautiful graphics. Totally worth to buy. This game is one of very few what needs to be made as movie also. It really went into my feelings. Emotional **** Funny stuff, example "Gaylord" -poster somewhere middle of game. Listen carefully every video and it makes the game feel like a movie.

    Only fault of this game was it's shortness, but that didnt bother me enough to change my score. 10/10.
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  92. Feb 13, 2015
    10
    Great game. Love the realism of the landscape, very atmospheric and draws you into the world of Ethan Carter. This is interactive fiction on a grand scale. More please!
  93. Feb 13, 2015
    6
    The game has a brilliant story and looks absolutely amazing. However it lacks a little substance in some parts of the game play, and the brilliant bits of the story are filled with a lifeless world and plenty of walking in between. Still worth a look, just could of been something truly great with a few more tweaks.
  94. Feb 4, 2015
    8
    The only criticism i would have for this game is the non-linear possibility. By allowing me to examine places randomly the story was broken up and made very little sense to me. If you haven't played the game yet, my advice to you i don not do too much exploring off the beaten path or you'll end up finding places you shouldn't at that time. Still, i enjoyed the game.
  95. Jan 29, 2015
    10
    Probably the only so-called 'walking simulator' game I've enjoyed so much, I played it multiple times. Played it 5 times over again, 20 hours overall.
    The writing style, the atmosphere, the characters, the subtext, the, the... THE EVERYTHING?!
  96. Jan 10, 2015
    9
    Great game, fantastic looking (max graphics at 1440p anyway), great atmosphere, a thoroughly enjoyable if brief diversion... but not for those with short attention spans. I very much hope to see more from this team.
  97. Jan 9, 2015
    10
    This is one of the best games I have ever played. If you like atmospheric games, puzzles, story and the fact that you have to think I believe you will enjoy it too.
    If you want you can play it through and just watch how beautiful it is, enjoy the excellent story and entertaining puzzles. But if you really want to enjoy this game, and take full advantage of what this experience have to
    This is one of the best games I have ever played. If you like atmospheric games, puzzles, story and the fact that you have to think I believe you will enjoy it too.
    If you want you can play it through and just watch how beautiful it is, enjoy the excellent story and entertaining puzzles. But if you really want to enjoy this game, and take full advantage of what this experience have to offer then take your time and examine everything, get to know the Carter family, their relation to eachother and so on. Remember everything and the ending is excellent. I´d recommend playing with a friend as well so you can talk to eatchother about who is who, what is what and why that is and so on. Play it with your Girl/Boy friend :)
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  98. Jan 9, 2015
    8
    For such stunning visuals, Vanishing of Ethan Carter runs surprisingly well. There are some moments where the game stutters while it's loading new areas, however for the most part the game runs exceptionally smooth. In addition to the excellent graphics, the ambient soundtrack imbues a sometimes calm, or sometimes eerie tone that really builds atmosphere.

    Although the game doesn't hold
    For such stunning visuals, Vanishing of Ethan Carter runs surprisingly well. There are some moments where the game stutters while it's loading new areas, however for the most part the game runs exceptionally smooth. In addition to the excellent graphics, the ambient soundtrack imbues a sometimes calm, or sometimes eerie tone that really builds atmosphere.

    Although the game doesn't hold your hand, I find that perhaps that may have been slightly detrimental, as there were some less obvious gameplay mechanics I didn't know about until I had finished. For example, it isn't made easily apparent that looking in the general direction of an object allows you to sense its whereabouts. The lack of manual saving can also be a bit of an inconvenience. Lastly, I felt that some environments could've been more condensed, as there is a significant amount of sprinting back and forth between locations.

    Overall rating - 7.8/10
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  99. Jan 2, 2015
    9
    The mood and atmosphere of this game is simply bleak and sends chills down your spine. Texture resolution is unbelievable and the scenery and foliage bring you down to your knees and the game is powered by Unreal Engine 3. Can you believe it? The only problem with graphics is the lighting engine is a bit dated and doesn't live up to the game's graphical standard. The story is great and theThe mood and atmosphere of this game is simply bleak and sends chills down your spine. Texture resolution is unbelievable and the scenery and foliage bring you down to your knees and the game is powered by Unreal Engine 3. Can you believe it? The only problem with graphics is the lighting engine is a bit dated and doesn't live up to the game's graphical standard. The story is great and the horror that is never shown explicitly makes the game stand out. I'd give it 10/10 if the game had a quick saving feature. Expand
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 66 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 56 out of 66
  2. Negative: 0 out of 66
  1. 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.
  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]