Force3r The Long Dark Review

The Long Dark is perhaps the most impressive game I have ever played. I downloaded it as a teenager, back in the days when my friends and I would share a single computer. All that time, I have grown up alongside this game – tirelessly awaiting each new episode and always rejoicing like a child whenever one finally arrived. The game’s setting is incredible: a harsh winter, vast Canadian forests, waterfalls, stylised houses, frozen wastelands, snow – all of it makes for breathtaking landscapes that you could admire for ever. Despite the biting cold, the game is soothing and almost hypnotic (at least when nothing is trying to eat you). And the music that accompanies these moments is an artwork in its own right. When it needs to, it instils fear; when it doesn’t, it brings calm and tranquillity – and sometimes it conveys a deep, solid connection with nature. The story is incredible. Simply incredible. Playing as two characters, seeing the game from two sides, inhabiting two different worlds – to experience, to hope, to fight, to survive, to marvel and to drink in the scenery – that feels like the game’s motto. The references to real events (the Carrington incident) and real medical conditions (dissociative fugue) add layers of ideas, theories, and fascination. The sheer variety of items, actions, ideas, and possibilities gives a sense of total immersion. I am very glad to be part of this game’s community – to be part of it. And the mere trailer for BLACKFROST: The Long Dark 2 has left me utterly astounded. The anticipation of what seems to be a blend of fresh ideas and that familiar old execution unleashes a storm of positive emotion. I want to express my boundless gratitude to the developers for their labours, their energy, their nerves, their resources, and all the long days they have poured into this masterpiece – and to wish them every success in creating a sequel every bit as magnificent. I am sure the community is waiting for it.