Finished the game on
Normal and started again on
Nightmare.
Overall 9/10
Got 35/50 achievements (for 560/1000), I thought I was doing a good job with all the collectibles and stuff, but apparently not!
Unlike the above review, personally I wouldn't say it's that easy, there are
5 different collectibles, you have to play it through twice (once on Nightmare difficulty) for the full 1000. Much better choices if you're purely after a gamer score boost.
Story: Great, loved the mini cliffhanger with the ending of each episode.
Gameplay: Found it really fun, using light to knock out enemies shadows and then using a gun to take them out. Enemies attack in groups, you have to keep an eye on two counts of 'ammo' (flashlight battery and weapon ammo), and while you're dodging enemies your flashlight flails about and creates great big shadows. The use of lights as a safe haven was nice, there's such a relief when you reach one, and at the same time, you're completely flooded with light that you can barely see what's outside your safe haven, meaning you're never totally in contol.
Sound: I only played with a 2.1 setup and it was good, can't imagine what it's like with 5.1. Roles were well cast, there's a good setpiece that has a focus on music and the sound never felt out of place.
Graphics: Doesn't have the impact of the trailers from a couple of years ago, but for me still pretty darn good. It's the whole presentation where the game really works for me, great light effects combined with darkness that makes you constantly think you see something when you haven't.
Everything came together to make a world that felt real and was strong enough to support the nightmare story that unfolds
I'll throw in some negatives since I didn't give it 10/10 (though the experience was easily 10/10): ventriloquist style lip syncing, can't play on while listening to the manuscripts, each episode after the first maybe a
little long, the shorter first episode might have been nearer the ideal length, but each cliffhanger may have been too close then. They were kinda insignificant for me and didn't really impact on my enjoyment of the game.
It's probably stolen game of the year away from Mass Effect 2 for me, and although we're only in May, I'm not sure what else this year will rival it. I have the Limited Collectors Edition and have no regrets.