The Kholat game trying to open the curtain of the mystery over one of the greatest and inexplicable mysteries of the Soviet period of our country - the disappearance of nine tourists in the Urals in February 1959.
Instead of clear answers, all new questions generate, one of them, for example, says: "Where did the whole budget of the game go? Is there a fence of Sean Bina?" Otherwise, it is difficult to explain how in the game in the genre of mystical thriller almost completely absent, all that is designed to make products of a similar genre interesting and exciting. Another question remaining after passing, is already a purely rhetorical tint - as it happened that our developers did not take care of the mysterious disappearance of a group of Soviet tourists? Do not want to turn the past? Speculate on the blood of the dead? No money?
Kholat, as many were mistakenly believed in initially, this is not the Russian word "cold", written by broadcasted illiterate developers. To the great and mighty Polish creators reacted with fitness. All numerous notes and cuts from newspapers, scattered here and there, written in a competent Russian without errors. Holychachl - the name of the mountain, on the slope of which broke the camp the infamous group under the guidance of Igor Dyatlov, in honor of him subsequently and was named the pass.
The game is Horror or, it would be more correct to say, a thriller with a width of mysticism and light psychodynamics, unfolding in the open world. The last item unequivocally causes respect and adds several points for originally to the piggy bank. The horizons in the open world are still rarity. However, here we are faced with what the many famous studios involved in the creation of games devoid of corridor design.
The concept of the open world imposes a number of restrictions and requires a special approach. As Boromir would say in one of the many memes with his participation, "you can not just take and force a player to walk let the open, but empty world." Simply put, not enough to release the player in the field and say: "Walk!". The player will quickly become boring. Alas, but the creators of Kholat stepped on these rakes, and those hurt them to the forehead.
Despite the general atmosphere of anxiety expectation, the sad song of a frosty wind, a blinding blizzard and howling wolves somewhere far away, there is no live life in the game. Kholat is an empty, unfriendly, monotonous and dead world. Of course, the Ural wilderness is a little more fun, but here we still have a game. Therefore, be kind, make us interesting.
In the entire area of the map, there are 9 locations that the player is obliged to visit to pass. It may be an old church, a radio or cave. These places contribute albeit sluggish, but still a variety of gameplay.Alas, but visiting these places is from the strength of 10% of the total game time. The remaining 90% will be contemplated by the snow-covered plains, faded branches of evergreens, drifts and rocks. And nothing more.
"Is it all?" - you ask. Of course not. You can, for example, look for a diary scattered around the entire map. You will find everything - open an alternative ending. If you do not fall asleep from boredom, of course.
Not all right and with gamedizayn. For example, sometimes they are forced to read notes when monsters are walking nearby. In the game, by the way, there is no "monsters" as such. The role of entities representing the danger to the player here is called "anomalies". When they are near, light from the lantern becomes intermittent, and the compass arrow begins to fight in convulsions. At this moment, as it is not difficult to guess, it is better to give the will of the feet and quickly leave the danger zone.
The only thing that in the game is made to the top five with a plus, in addition to a pleasant picture, - Audio code. Blizzard, snow crunch under the legs, branches of firs and pines, swaying under the gusts of the cold wind. Great job.
Sean Bin, being a professional actor, brilliantly coped with his task, although, justice for the sake of Mr. Bina, and was not required. These are not Andy Serkis, who is a member of the microphone, and on the shooting area, the playment, all the movement capture sensors from the head to heaters, like, for example, in the game Enslaved, where he gave the hero not only his image, but also movements.
Mr. Bean, undoubtedly, pleasant, and his velvet timbre delays the rumor, but the invited celebrity at the microphone cannot pull the whole game. Especially if its creators reacted to the rest of the things with a rare Kholat.
