http://store.steampowered.com/app/319970/
The first episode of this was free for a little while in July, so I grabbed it. Why not? Took a crack at it last night and was pleasantly surprised. The art is primitive and the animations are crude at best, but the atmosphere and characterization are compelling. This is an on-rails crime story with multiple protagonists. The writing feels solid, gritty without going over the top. You may not be able to change the course of the ship, but decisions made do feel substantial and there are dramatic differences in your choices. Beat the crap out of a child molester, or cut him a deal so he'll help you find the kidnapped children? Stuff like this sticks with you and your major decisions are kept on dossiers of each character.
I guess the main thing I like is that the noir vibe is done well. It seems like a lot of games are attempting noir lately but most of them fuck it up. This feels like an actual good crime story. Of course I haven't seen it all yet.
Oh, and I really like the soundtrack. Also there is no VA, so the dialogue goes by as quickly as you can read it.
Low production values make it hard to recommend at full price. I would feel good about paying maybe $12-15 for the full season of five episodes once they're out. (Only two are out so far.)
If you like this kind of thing, put it on your wishlist and grab it when it goes on sale.
