Pathologic 2 - You're Gonna Have a Bad Time - Games

https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steam/apps/505230/extras/eng_save_everyone_2.jpg?t=1558700205 Summary (The Steam store description is more apt than I'd be able to summarize on my own) Pathologic 2 is a narrative-driven dramatic thriller about fighting a deadly outbreak in a secluded rural town. The town is dying. Face the realities of a collapsing society as you make difficult choices in seemingly lose-lose situations. The plague isn’t just a disease. You can’t save everyone. The plague is devouring the town. The chief local healer is dead, and you are now to take his place. You’ll have to look for unexpected allies. The local kids are hiding something. Try playing by their rules. You only have 12 days. --- Features (Know what let's just copy the Steam store description too because it's easy) 12 days in an odd town ravaged by a deadly disease. Time is of the essence: if you don’t manage it carefully, it’ll simply run out. You’ll have to choose how to spend the priceless minutes you have. Survival thriller. You’ll have to manage your bodily functions, offsetting hunger, thirst, exhaustion, and so on. It doesn’t boil down to scavenging resources. Surviving on your own is hard; you’ll have to win over allies. An uphill battle. Managing your bodily parameters may seem bearable at first, and as time goes by, it becomes harder and harder. Your own body is only waiting for an opportunity to give up and betray you. Things are changing from bad to worse and the odds are stacked against you. A duel with an enemy you can’t kill. Your main foe is the plague itself, an incorporeal and malevolent entity that you have to defeat… without having the means to. It’s more powerful and more treacherous than you can imagine. Loot, murder, mug, steal, barter, beg… or don’t. You need resources to survive, and it’s up to you how to obtain them. The fights are short, ungraceful, and vicious. They’re not always lethal though. Many people—yourself included—would prefer to exchange their wallet for their life. --- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2fAbqT5GWg https://youtu.be/ECSwEgzeEug https://youtu.be/qekTbTpUsFs --- I just started playing this game last night having new played the original nor any of the developer's other games. So far (4 hours in) it's been a really gripping experience, at least the narrative and the game world. Combat is iffy, but it's also not the central focus of the game (Unless you just try to murder everyone I suppose).

I've been reading a written let's play of the Changeling/Impostor from the old game just to try to make sense out of the gameplay and the lore, and boy. They don't write video games like this. They just don't. This is WAY beyond anything else, remotely. Can't wait to play this remake.

I recommend experiencing the original (well the HD remaster of the original) first since while this is technically a remake, it's also a reimagining. And I guess appropriately enough, it's really hard to label it properly whether it's a sequel, remake or reimagining. It is a trudge though and it isn't really a conventional game and it's not really enjoyable in a traditional sense. But I think it's well worth it. I haven't finished Pathologic 2 yet but the way 1 ends really gives me an impression they'd do something pretty different with 2 if they're gonna continue with the theme from 1.

I tried playing it before but I wholeheartedly prefer reading it to be honest.

That's fair I suppose. I do think part of the game is how unintuitive/stressful it can be to play since it matches with the whole premise. Being directly involved and witnessing things firsthand gives it that certain magic that can get lost. But at the very least if that's the case I do recommend just finishing watching/reading through the entirety of the game since Pathologic 2 is a pretty different game on its own. It does work standalone but it does give some appropriate callbacks that I feel like would be appreciated more with knowledge of the original.

Didn't even realize this was out until I got a coupon for it in my inventory and decided to see when it was launching! Super excited to sink my teeth in when I have a little bit more time to play it on Tuesday!

I'd recommend the opposite, I think this release frees one from having to deal with the original. The design is more streamlined, the storytelling (the best part) is even more addictive with the new dynamic plot infographic.

A remake, is it? So I may as well skip the first one, should I ever find it?

Yes, it is a remake. You can play it, it stays true to the original but changes things here and there for the older players. The first game doesn't play well, its a kind of game where you can die from tiredness and the only cup of coffee in town is sold today for 1 million dollars (or a couple of shoe strings which you may or not may have) while exploring the town with the plot playing out in real time.

The storyline is great and it is still closely following the original's storyline. However it also goes beyond and at the end of Haruspex's campaign (and the only one so far in 2) it heavily implies it's actually gonna have a different 'true ending' once we also get Bachelor and Changeling. People aren't going to lose much if they start here, but I do still recommend experiencing the original in any way possible because a lot of things imply it is still a 'sequel' in its own weird sense. Plus I think there's more appreciation to be had with the improvements if someone at least see through the original first.