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Author Topic: Pathologic. Obscure Russian Indie Horror Game. Remake on Kickstarter  (Read 20502 times)

Draco18s

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So I did a quick search and it looks like Pathologic has been only mentioned five times in this forum's history.  I'll start off with the synopsis stolen from Wikipedia.

The game is about three people who are known mostly by their nicknames. Two men the Bachelor and Haruspex, and a girl nicknamed Devotress, each of whom tries to uncover the source of a strange lethal sickness that befalls a small town. Although you can play as each of them, there is only one storyline, which is seen from different points of view depending upon the chosen character. Some of the secrets can be uncovered only by the consecutive playing of each character. Every day you receive quests from NPCs and at exactly midnight of each day, the incomplete quests are erased from your notebook. Quests are divided into main missions (one per day, which decide if a major character will die), and side quests to complete to earn money and items.

The game is downright creepy to the point at which all of the faceless nobodies wandering the town have a burlap ragdoll for their portrait when you talk with them.  Your told that this is how you can tell the major characters apart from the minor characters.  Not to mention the Stagehands (skinny guys dressed in black with a faceless white mask) and Birdmen, both of whom exist only to provide you some insight into the game as a game and otherwise "play no role."

Combat is deadly, to the point at which you're forced to make a choice between killing a street bum to steal his rags to bind a gaping wound in your side or using your own meager supplies to heal him to raise your reputation (if it falls too low the town stops trusting you, calls you a fraud, and tries to kill you).

The Bachelor arrives in the town to meet with the town's oldest living relative, said to be over 200 years old to find that he (and anyone who knows anything about the murder(s)) have been murdered the night before.
Haruspex arrives in the town, summoned by his father, only to find that he's been accused of murdering his father, the oldest living person in the town.  He starts wounded and with no reputation, and basically no supplies (though you can harvest the organs of your two assailants if you want to--supposedly someone in town will pay money for them).
The Devotress is locked until you complete the game with one of the two men, though what I know is that she meets with the eldest man just before he's murdered.  She also heals people with magic (which may or may not be powered by small children) and may or may not have slain the old man.

There's one point early on where you discover that the town's children have been playing Hospital with each other, injecting each other with substances (the kids who stop moving lose the game, why do they stop moving?) to find out which drugs make them feel better.  As a friend of mine exclaimed, "None of them!  These are hard drugs!  They're all bad!  Stop it and give me those!"

Oh, and did I mention that there's a time limit?  Yes, the game ends in 12 days whether you like it or not.  And you can die from hunger and exhaustion too.

Link to the game's site.
« Last Edit: September 06, 2014, 02:35:31 pm by Draco18s »
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drips

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Re: Pathologic. Obscure Russian Indie Horror Game
« Reply #1 on: December 04, 2010, 07:56:03 pm »

I had Pathologic installed a while back, never got all that far into it. Think I'll reinstall and give it another shot.

For those who're wondering, the game was made by Ice-Pick Lodge, the same people who gave us The Void (aka Tension/Typrop), which was a game I enjoyed quite a bit.
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fenrif

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Re: Pathologic. Obscure Russian Indie Horror Game
« Reply #2 on: December 04, 2010, 08:12:51 pm »

This looks similar to a game that I played a while ago... I wouldn't be surprised if it is infact the same game. I remember installing it because loads of people were raving about how awesome it was, only to be horribly dissapointed with the translation. So much so that I only played for about an hour and promptly uninstalled it.

So I guess my question is: What's the translation like?
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0x517A5D

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Re: Pathologic. Obscure Russian Indie Horror Game
« Reply #3 on: December 04, 2010, 09:13:43 pm »

I've never played it, and never will, but I utterly loved Quinn's writeup at RPS.  It wasn't a review (though some are linked), but more of a meta-analysis and love letter.


@fenrif, the translation is horrible, and the voice acting is appalling and notorious for it.  The developers admit this.
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buckets

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Re: Pathologic. Obscure Russian Indie Horror Game
« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2010, 09:34:18 pm »

I've heard about this before, and I've been interested in it for a while.

But what 0x517A5D is saying about the translation stops me in my tracks. Pity :(
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Draco18s

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Re: Pathologic. Obscure Russian Indie Horror Game
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2010, 09:51:56 pm »

I've heard about this before, and I've been interested in it for a while.

But what 0x517A5D is saying about the translation stops me in my tracks. Pity :(

It's not unreadable, its just less than ideal.
At least, so far as I've seen.
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x2yzh9

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Re: Pathologic. Obscure Russian Indie Horror Game
« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2010, 10:05:10 pm »

Where in the world do I buy this game?

Draco18s

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Re: Pathologic. Obscure Russian Indie Horror Game
« Reply #7 on: December 05, 2010, 01:09:16 am »

Russia, actually.

Also Direct 2 Drive and Gamer's Gate.  Looks to be $15 in both places.
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Neonivek

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Re: Pathologic. Obscure Russian Indie Horror Game
« Reply #8 on: December 05, 2010, 01:26:52 am »

I wish I could make my own point and click horror game. But you know... the whole lack of talent thing...

Is this the sort of Horror game that is subtle? Where things either slowly build, even to the point of seeming perfectly normal, or at least where everything is non-agressive?
-Phantasmagoria is underrated in this respect... It really knew how to build on the horror elements. The game has 7 cds and it doesn't actually get overtly scary until the 5th with little elements changing so slightly you may not even notice like the music.

Or is it overt with casper popping out of walls going BOO!!! and hands pulling you into tubs, mirrors, or beds?

Quote
raise your reputation

Is this a horror game or a "Horror game" like Resident Evil 3, 4 (though it had moments), and 5 (which had no moments)?

So as to not be disrespectful a "Horror game" is defined as such: A game that keeps several of the horror elements such as monsters, ghosts, and other such elements but lacks the horror focus or intent to actually scare you silly.

--------------

*Looks at site*

SEEMS like a true horror game... But is it?

Even Call of Cthuhu games sometimes transformed into a really bad action/adventure game (Alone in the Dark 2, 3, and the newer one. Undying starts off with strong horror elements but loses them rather quickly and became a shooter)

Though the site seems to advertise its gameplay quite well in its screens.
« Last Edit: December 05, 2010, 02:09:16 am by Neonivek »
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Sowelu

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Re: Pathologic. Obscure Russian Indie Horror Game
« Reply #9 on: December 05, 2010, 05:42:47 am »

If the translation and voice acting was better, I'd buy this.  :/

(wow, apparently I go by reviews instead of pirating stuff these days, when did that happen)

Also yeah, writing good horror is REALLY REALLY HARD.  Anyone can make an action game.  Like, a monkey with a stick can make an action game.  (Hell, a monkey with a stick kind of is an action game)  But any emotional writing is difficult, while manipulating what the character does and doesn't know and what they believe is really tough, and then you have to fuzzle the game balance around it to keep it from turning into the Call of Cthulhu game (AKA totally awesome before you get a weapon, boring and pointless once you get a gun).

Wish I was good D:
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Ioric Kittencuddler

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Re: Pathologic. Obscure Russian Indie Horror Game
« Reply #10 on: December 05, 2010, 05:58:49 am »

This reminds me I've really got to play The Void.  I got it during a steam sale after hearing about it on Destructoid but I have yet to play it.
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Virtz

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Re: Pathologic. Obscure Russian Indie Horror Game
« Reply #11 on: December 05, 2010, 08:42:48 am »

So I guess my question is: What's the translation like?
It ranges from odd yet dramatic to "I can has" (at one point a character literally says that). I recall a fan translation project in the works, but I don't think anything came out of it in the end.

Concerning the horror, I'd say the game is always trying to creep you out with the visuals rather than boo-scare you. The town is mostly "normal" enough to make the oddities seem actually strange and disturbing.

The combat in this game can be pretty hard. Think melee combat in an early FPS - you can't block, you can at most move away from the enemy and it's hard to anticipate when exactly your attack lands. Not to mention the ranged attacks. It's hard enough when you're facing a basic mugger in the streets at night, and it gets much harder.
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Draco18s

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Re: Pathologic. Obscure Russian Indie Horror Game
« Reply #12 on: December 05, 2010, 12:25:31 pm »

Concerning the horror, I'd say the game is always trying to creep you out with the visuals rather than boo-scare you. The town is mostly "normal" enough to make the oddities seem actually strange and disturbing.

There are four "ruins" in the town, all of which have strange, gravity defying, staircases rising into the air.  The same architect designed this building called The Polyhedron, which sits outside of town and only children live inside.  Supposedly the entire thing floats.  I haven't had a chance to check it out yet.

And a lot of the horror is in the text too.  (Yes, there's reading involved and usually a fair amount).  Its through the text that you learn what the children are doing, that you learn about the disease, and that you learn about the town (and how its districts are named after body parts).
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Draco18s

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Re: Pathologic. Obscure Russian Indie Horror Game
« Reply #13 on: December 06, 2010, 11:35:56 pm »

OH DEAR GOD.  When I kill psycho knife wielding maniacs in the early pre-dawn hours I hear a child laugh and clap.

GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD.
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Neonivek

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Re: Pathologic. Obscure Russian Indie Horror Game
« Reply #14 on: December 06, 2010, 11:39:17 pm »

OH DEAR GOD.  When I kill psycho knife wielding maniacs in the early pre-dawn hours I hear a child laugh and clap.

GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD.

Goodness your inner child is somewhat of a jerk.
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