The Fall Reviews
Great story can't cover for poor gameplay.
If you enjoy a decent sci-fi yarn and exploring concepts around AI, its limitations, and how systems designed to protect humans could conceivably also get in the way The Fall may be worthwhile for you. However, if that isn’t a pull and you don’t have a particularly high threshold for frustration it can be tough to recommend. With a relatively diverse set of adventures already available on the system this feels a bit more awkward than most.
If you're looking for a thoughtful sci-fi story and/or a point-and-click adventure in the LucasArts mold, and can tolerate the short running time, this is a good pick.
The Fall makes you want more. That much is clear. I want to see what happens with A.R.I.D, I want to see how the ending of The Fall continues on in it's sequels. But I don't want to play those puzzles, nor anything like it again. I'm not happy with how short the game is, nor with the way it's split into separate games. The Fall should, in my opinion, be avoided until all three of the games are out there.
The first half was so frustrating I almost cried, and the second half was actually pretty entertaining. Oh, and the whole game was 3 hours long. And you can't use either mouse or arrow keys on the main menu for some reason. In short, fix these problems Over The Moon and maybe the second episode of The Fall will be all fun and not just the last hour.
Arriving almost four years after the Wii U version, The Fall still manages to offer one of the most engaging takes on the age-old 'robot starts to feel alive' concept without feeling tired or rote. Sadly, the limitations of its gameplay haven't been addressed for this port, so while there's a great story to be experienced, the game itself remains a forgettable miasma of genres.
In order to aim, cover, aim and shoot I have to make a total of 5 button presses over 3 buttons. It’s ridiculous.
The Fall takes inspiration from all the right games, merging Metroid-style platforming and atmosphere with Dark Souls difficulty and Portal writing. Its deep and thoughtful explorations into the technicalities of AI are intelligent and surprisingly thought provoking. It's unfortunately hindered by clunky mechanics and overly complicated puzzles that often border on the obtuse when it comes to the specifics required to finish them. Google will be your best friend when playing through this, but try and avoid cheating or giving up entirely; solving The Fall's conundrums is actually somewhat worth the hassle for once, proving to be a creative and rewarding challenge that shows creativity and promise.
The Fall is a relatively short game, just a few hours long depending on how many puzzles stump you. The story is the most engaging thing, providing a unique take on the Three Laws of Robotics (although the laws themselves have been changed). There are really only three characters, but they're all well developed
'The Fall' is a great story and interesting discussion of synthetic morality, but ironically has some problems with its own mechanical side. It is possible that these issues were caused by the port to the Xbox One, but things like checkpoint saving are fundamental and cannot be overlooked. Regardless, I am happy that Over The Moon is continuing with the series, and hopefully we can expect the second episode before too long.
The first instalment in a planned trilogy, The Fall does a respectable job at feeling complete while setting up upcoming entries. Although shorter than most adventures, the length does work in its benefit, as the slow pacing would likely overstay its welcome in a longer journey. Worth noting, the pacing is by no means perfect, with the ending coming off feeling especially rushed, but the rest of the experience makes good use of a slow, methodical approach. Atmospheric and appropriately lonely, with enough narrative weight to think on, this makes for some enjoyable point-and-click fun.
The Fall is a fine example of an adventure, with the better puzzles demanding some out-of-the-box thinking, and a hardcore, almost Isaac Asimov/Ghost in the Shell-ish sci-fi plot revolving around robots and AI, which is so good that it's easy to forgive this for its less impressive segments, and its unwieldy control scheme.
The Fall is a sci-fi adventure game that harkens back to the days of classic adventure titles and in some instances, brings with it both the good and bad aspects of the classic genre.
The Fall is a flawed title marred by questionable voice acting, disappointing controls and, in classic adventure game fashion, segments where you'll find yourself rummaging blindly through the environment trying to figure out what to do next. If you can get past all of this, though, you'll find an innovative title with atmospheric visuals that puts a unique spin on old science fiction tropes through an intriguing storyline and some great meta-textual moments with the user interface. If all you want is a solid action-adventure experience, The Fall is probably not your best choice, but if you're looking for a more cerebral change of pace you should check this one out.
The control system needs some improvement, though, and the voice acting is far from the best ever done, but the narrative and exploration suit well those who are looking for a sci fi adventure in the Wii U's eShop.
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This is supposedly the first of multiple chapters to this story, and if the writing stays as strong throughout then it's going to be a tale well worth exploring, but hopefully the next title will reduce the difficulty a tad.
Ultimately, The Fall feels like you're playing your way through a movie. Aside from a few control hiccups, it's a playable movie in a genuinely good way.
Overall, however, The Fall was very enjoyable. For the $10 asking price, you receive a great story and solid game play in a four-hour episode. The game has a great ending that has me eagerly anticipating the next episode of the game.
ARID is a wonderfully interesting character, although she has little opportunity for personality within the space of this game (the first of a trilogy).
The Fall is the first game of a trilogy where the subject of artificial intelligence - what it means and its consequences - are a heavy focus of. Over The Moon excels in this department. For a point & click genre with shooting, they've done the job quite well providing a believable atmosphere and notable plot surprises. It's a pretty short game, but it is sweet. It's worth seeking out its playtime for those interested getting into this series. If you enjoy The Fall, you'll want its sequel as well.