WWGW - Unknown Fate - an examination

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Weird & Wonderful Game Watch

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Published on October 14, 2018 10:39:23 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRmXIbfFMOE

Game:

Unknown Fate (2018)

Duration: 18:07

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A short glimpse of the start of Unknown Fate.

We actually did a recording of the entire first half of the game , though maaaaybe left the recording settings a bit high since the result was a 28 gig video which wasn't very youtube friendly.

In the meantime, we present a simple video of the early start of the game just before the first combat segment. (Sorry, though we did get a look at the "weaponry" element still). It is doubly unfortunate since its presence helps flavor the title in important ways. The main driving force of the game is still this visually impressive and surreal glimpse into this otherworldy place like many walking sims and exploration games. However, it’s the implementation of these extra combat and puzzle elements—often depending on equipped power---that really keeps things moving with interest. You do get an example of some of the minor platforming elements, but that’s usually more a draw to me so thankfully they’re not any more absurd or complicated than what I recall recording here.

It's got some fairly impressive 3D capabilities and full 4k support for an indie title. Of course, neither setting is mandatory leaving a pretty wide gameplay audience.

The game performed pretty stunningly, though there were a couple bugs encountered. Strangely (luckily?) they seemed related to controller support, which might be an ongoing theme here.
One of the more notable flaws for the title (though ultimately a nitpick) was that the menus tend to be rather limited for the controls. They strangely relied on the joypad exclusively for navigating without any support for the d-pad, or the normal quick selection buttons for entering/backing out of menus.
Aside from that there was only one crash that occurred when pausing shortly before a cutscene that resulted in the cutscene playing over the pause menu, and requiring a restart to get back. Additionally, it seemed froze heavily when turning off v-sync though that proved to be temporary.


I wouldn’t say I’m exactly a fan of amnesiac stories either. The tropes been done to death and I find that it tasks players with finding a reason to care about the world rather than immersing them and then confronting them with a challenge that they are internally resolved to solve as well. All that said, the story did manage to win me over and though I’ve only reached the halfway point I’m intending to finish soon and figure out where things land. Though still ambiguous about the amnesiac, there are hints enough of the circumstance to start putting the puzzle together. Largely though, the greatest interest was the connection with this world of decay around him.

The main character seems to present some messianic figure with the capabilities to relight the dying dreamworld, and there are plenty of forces who know him and what that means even when he does not. It’s the interaction with the “guardian” entities seemingly representing and protecting the world that drive the plotline forward. There’s a clear background drama among them and the other entities you encounter that leaves you suspicious of everyone’s motives and entirely unable to differentiate friend from foe.

Though I know I emphasize much of the game’s flaws, that’s actually about the full extent of them. The rest of the game plays with a perfectly enjoyable and intriguing view of a completely foreign environment to our reality. We’ve finally reached an era of gaming and technology where the immersive process of stepping into another world is fully available to us, and Unknown Fate is a perfect example of one of latest games to make that journey possible.

Check out Unknown Fate for sale on STEAM now
https://store.steampowered.com/app/510390/Unknown_Fate/?curator_clanid=32660416

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