This game had potential to be good. Graphics and soundtrack are simply breathtaking, especially he redux version based on Unreal Engine 4, but the gameplay leaves a lot to be desired. While there are couple of puzzles to be solved, those are only puzzles, because the game doesn't actually explain its own basics. I get it they didn't want handholding to be here, but they failed hard to be edgy with not explaining what is what in this game and the beginning can be truly confusing. But when you get it, you find out that for a game and designers bragging about no handholding, the puzzles are incredibly simple. What is also bad in this game is identity crisis - it is obvious they wanted to be other Dear Esther or whatever this game is called, but they also wanted to do Amnesia, but they didn't have the idea how to design the whole game around it, so they made only one laughably bad stage around it. The game is a one off and incredibly short, around 3 to 4 hours, with story so wretched it's mindblowing. Don't get me wrong, the beginning and solving the crime are awesome, but the ending makes it all worthless and leaves bad taste in the mouth. Overall, if you really have to, grab it on sale, but I can't recommend this game. Grab Myst or any other game instead.

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is not much of a game at all. It's a gorgeous open world primed for exploration with a few not-very-difficult puzzles thrown in. Nominally the narrative is to solve the mystery of what happened to Ethan Carter, and the player moves from area to area to piece together that narrative. This largely works, with the narrative fitting the feel of the environment as well as creating a visual experience. Where the game is somewhat limited is in how contrived interaction with the world is. The puzzles feel like they exist to put at least some semblance of a game, rather than adding to the narrative itself. The simplistic nature of the puzzles prevented the game from getting bogged down, but it felt like a missed opportunity. More than anything, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter feels like an attempt at a direction games should be exploring - to use the medium as an immersive narrative vehicle. It's not perfect, but is rich enough to demand some attention be paid to it.

I played this game with zero expectations. The Graphics are wonderful and detailed. The Story is wonderful and I love the mystery stuff in this Game. The Game takes a huge factor in exploration and discovery. It contains no combat or explosions of any kind. Red Creek Valley looks perfect and even when the Game is "only" 8 Hours long it was a nice little journey. The only Question of the Story is: "What happened to Ethan Carter?" It's Great!

This game was beautiful and I really liked it a lot. The story line seemed a bit odd at first but as you move through the story, you get more interested in the story itself and it makes you start questioning yourself to try to decode the mysteries that were in the game. The more you play it, it makes you want more. The game wasn't too long but the puzzles were very interesting and it may take some time to figure out these puzzles and getting use to it. The game is much more than a walking simulator. The story unfolds as you explore the surroundings: it's the tragic story of a boy called Ethan that has gone missing. Playing the role of the detective Paul, you embark on this mysterious adventure of finding the boy. On the road you discover different clues and solve different murder cases associated to his disappearance, by using of your supernatural ability to sense things. The story has a way of keeping you interested until the end, with unexpected events along the way. The ending is not predictable, although not out of the ordinary either; but it's the kind of ending you least expect to have.

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a beautiful game of exploration. You are a detective wielding paranormal powers to help you find the missing Ethan. First of all, I have to say this is a stunning game with beautiful landscapes. The sound effects and music in the game match the breathtaking visuals to create an amazing atmosphere. I found the puzzles frustrating at first but when I proceeded to solve them my mind was usually blown, especially in that one magical illusory house. The mechanics in the game that you use as a detective are a nice touch. What's awesome about the beautiful world of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is that it drives you to explore it. In order to proceed in the game you have to research every little clue and explore everything while appreciating the realistic world design. Another reason why I liked the game was that you get the Redux version of the game for absolutely free when you buy the regular game. This is awesome as the Redux adds a player controlled save system and polishes the game even further. The game was a bit too short for my personal liking - I completed it in about 5 hours and the replay value is really not there. But I did enjoy the short and simple story, the ending was very beautiful as well. I would definitely recommend this game.