The genre of first-person narrative adventures, commonly known as walking simulators, has been gaining presence in the video game industry over the years. We’ve been able to enjoy great titles in this genre such as Gone Home, Firewatch, What Remains of Edith Finch, or Virginia, where the experience focuses on narrative progression through environmental exploration. One O One Games offers us this mysterious adventure with a slight touch of horror, one that stands proudly alongside its competitors.
A mysterious family case
The Suicide of Rachel Foster is set in the 1990s in a small county in Montana, United States. Nicole, the protagonist, and her mother abandon the family hotel after discovering that her father is having an affair with a girl her age, whom he has impregnated. After her father’s death, Nicole receives a series of letters from her mother telling her that she must sell the family hotel to financially help the family of Rachel Foster, the father’s lover, who years earlier took her own life near the hotel.
When Nicole arrives at the hotel, a strong blizzard catches her off guard and traps her inside. Soon after, she receives a call from Irving Crawford, a FEMA agent, on one of the first phones of the era, whose goal is to help her survive the situation. The constant calls between the characters lead to the development of a love story between them. As Nicole investigates the hotel, she begins to realize that things may not be as she was told. This sparks her curiosity to discover what really happened to her former classmate.
The Italian studio’s title presents a delightful narrative, full of plot twists and distractions in the form of red herrings, turning it into a deep interactive experience. You’ll need to piece together all the clues available to try to explain what is happening.
Trapped in an abandoned hotel
The visuals, along with the narrative, are some of the game’s strongest aspects, enhancing immersion through first-person gameplay. The story unfolds in a hotel clearly inspired by the one from The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, 1980), corroded by mold inside and frozen on the outside. This environment generates a sense of loneliness in the player, despite the constant phone conversations. This particular element causes the game to balance between horror and mystery.
In short, the narrative experience offered by The Suicide of Rachel Foster brings together all the elements necessary to engage the mind as if it were a short mystery story. The combination of atmosphere and narrative makes the game a deep and interesting adventure.
