Unfortunately, this can result in a lot of backtracking and frustration as not only do you have to choose the correct archive, but you also have to select the three specific search criteria that will produce the desired result. Lastly, and most problematically, when the clues alone are not sufficient to provide you with a lead, you can do further research in several archives of information available at the Police Station, University Library, local newspaper, City Hall and others, depending on the type of information for which you are searching. By placing the events in the proper order, Reed gains a unique viewpoint on exactly what happened, opening new lines of thought and information about his cases.Īgain, the theory is more interesting than the application here, as no real deduction goes into ordering the events, and there are no consequences for being incorrect. At some locations when enough information has been gathered, a ‘tear’ will appear in the world which allows Reed to step through and catch glimpses of events and the people involved. Reed also has the ability to piece together evidence at a crime scene using Retrocognition, which is presented as a ghostly after-image version of the detective vision seen in Batman’s Arkham series. The truth of Robert Throgmorton’s ties to your investigation run deeper than even he knows. Some objects must be rotated to a specific orientation to be able to pick them up or trigger a vision using Reed’s Mind’s Eye ability, a form of psychometry that you will rely upon multiple times throughout the game. Granted, this can be alleviated by reducing the investigation difficulty setting, but this merely makes a repetitive task take less time to complete, not more engaging. Frequently you must scour a location for clues that you can interact with, some of which remain inaccessible until a specific clue is gathered causing you to have to survey the location again from scratch. However, the application of the mechanic becomes time consuming and repetitive. The focus on investigation is interesting, and causes even side cases to put a greater focus on your familiarity with the major characters and events of the storyline. You have to pay attention, review your clues, and make the best decisions you can about the truth of a situation usually based on not much more than your gut instinct. In fact, one of the best features of The Sinking City is the fact that it does not hold your hand. The dialogue is well written and manages to convey exposition without hitting you over the head with it. All the characters you talk to are very well voiced, and share the same stylized haunted look as every other character in the game. Every case usually has multiple outcomes, each of which may divert you onto a different path towards one of the game’s multiple endings. The Sinking City’s central mechanic revolves around gathering clues and solving mysteries. There will be many twists and turns as you unearth the truth behind the mystery of Oakmont, and the choice of who (or what) to trust is entirely upon you. From the petty schemes of smugglers and thieves to the byzantine plots of Oakmont’s Grand Families, the societal elite that pull the strings from behind the scenes. Cut off from the mainland, Oakmont has adapted to flooded streets and strange infestations.įrom the moment he arrives in Oakmont, Reed finds himself a pawn in the machinations of factions and powers that control the city. It isn’t just a job to Reed either, for he too suffers from nightmarish visions that weakening his grip on sanity, and feels the inexplicable call of Oakmont drawing him in. The victims have who complained about horrific visions before feeling overwhelmingly drawn to Oakmont, and then never to return. Thrust directly into the action, players take on the role of war veteran turned private detective, Charles Reed, who has been investigating a rash of mysterious disappearances. The Sinking City is an open world action game, set in the mysterious Oakmont, Massachusetts, devastated by floods and cut off from civilization.

The sinking city first case