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The Sinking City: a Lovecraft-inspired adventure set in 1920s America (June 27 release) - update: OpenCritic review compilation


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As Charles, the player will be completely on their own in their investigation, helped only by their observational skills and their trusty notebook. They’ll need to explore crime scenes, collect information, and question the inhabitants without any hints or assistance. While some challenges might be easily resolved, others will require using Reed’s unique abilities, such as Retrocognition, which allows him to replay past scenes.

 

In order to succeed in their investigation, the player will need to collect clues, figure out what they have in common, and try to back up their theories using one of the game’s essential tools called the Mind Palace. While it will let the player submit their hypotheses about potentially guilty parties, it will never tell them whether they're on the right track. The player will have to accept the consequences of their choices.

 

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New previews - from the sound of it, I'm really looking forward to picking this up when the PC version is released in 2020!

 

@Slug

 

Behind The Sinking City's Lovecraftian Horror Is An Even Darker Reality (Gamespot)

The Sinking City's bleak world and characters suck you into its bizarre, yet grimy tales of otherworldly urban crime. The surprisingly convincing racial conflict the game sets up colors the storytelling in a way that's both haunting and engrossing. While this isn't the first time we've had a backdrop like this in games, The Sinking City's surreal depiction of 1920's-era racial prejudice and violence was undoubtedly its most standout quality for me; clumsy shooting mechanics and somewhat glitchy animations notwithstanding. Whether or not the game makes good on the social commentary it introduces, The Sinking City has at least piqued my interest--even if playing it may mean enduring an ugly cycle of violence that calls to mind the worst of what can still be seen today.

 

The Sinking City hands-on preview: Like Sherlock Holmes, but weird (PCWorld)

I’ve been looking forward to The Sinking City for a while though, and getting hands-on time only made me more excited. Nobody else makes detective games on this scale. There’s bound to be some jank around the edges, but if Frogwares can nail the core cases and make good on its more open structure I think The Sinking City will be something special.

 

'The Sinking City' Isn't Shying Away From the Racism in Lovecraft's Work (Waypoint)

From what I’ve seen, The Sinking City seems to have things to say about Lovecraft’s prejudices. It seems to be a bit more than just a "part of the world" that the hero sees, and while The Sinking City is a period piece, some of the ways it highlights the racist themes of its source material are more than a little resonant of how we encounter racism and xenophobia today. I need to acknowledge just how hard of a job that can be, to do this sort of commentary WELL, and to do so while, well, enjoying being a pulpy detective story set in a Lovecraftian universe.

 

How Frogwares built detective RPG The Sinking City, a Silent Hill-style mystery for fans of lateral thinking (GamesRadar+)

The Sinking City is rich with clues, but firmly avoids hand-holding mission markers - Frogwares' CEO Wael Amr explains how they built such a complex, rewarding, open world

 

The Sinking City is the Lovecraft meets Sherlock fan fiction I didn't know I needed (PCGamer)

By the end of the demo I was ready to grow some gills and dive back in, ready to once again sigh and mentally repress knowledge of Lovecraft's problematic beliefs, and to help an NPC find their lost son/wedding ring/copy of the necronomicon. Sure, this steals a lot from Sherlock Holmes, but at least it does it well, and Arthur Conan Doyle and Lovecraft pair as well as a fine Sauvignon and Cthulhu calamari.

 

Preview: The Sinking City is the perfect Lovecraftian-Holmes mix you never knew you needed (MSPoweruser)

From what we’ve seen thus far, Frogwares is truly expanding on the depth that can be offered in a game like this. It’s a collection of everything you’d want from a Lovecraftian game and, with the state of some of its competitors, it may be the best one to tackle Lovecraft’s actual work. While I’m more than sure Reed just wants everything over with so he can have a quick nap, I’m more than excited to see everything else The Sinking City has to offer.

 

The Sinking City: we tackle the first two cases of the detective RPG that rewards keen minds and lateral thought (GamesRadar+)

Official PlayStation Magazine goes hands-on to uncover an open-world detective game sleuths need to keep an eye on

 

The Sinking City actually makes me feel like I'm in a strange new world by making background NPCs do the weirdest things (GamesRadar+)

Apart from those that will give you quests, NPCs in The Sinking City aren’t the main focus of the game by any means. Yet having them busying around in the background as you try to find your way around Oakmont makes the game feel alive, and most definitely semi-cursed. Their mixture of erratic and reasonable behaviour proves just how deep the Lovecraftian corruption has wormed into Oakmont, and when The Sinking City comes out on June 27, you’ll get the chance to try and figure out how to make those strange NPCs’ lives a little better. 

 

'The Sinking City' Gameplay: How to Solve a Lovecraftian Murder (Newsweek)

Having experienced only the first two hours or so of The Sinking City, its ambition is obvious, even if it’s not yet clear how much the game will live up to it. The core investigatory gameplay is solid, but will the cases offered up in The Sinking City take full advantage of its abundant possibilities? We’ll investigate for ourselves when The Sinking City comes out for PS4, Xbox and PC on June 27.

 

The Sinking City Preview – Sinking Deeper into the Watery Abyss (DualShockers)

From the wonderful logic-based investigations that flow naturally as long as you pay attention to what you’re told, to the huge and living city that begs to be explored, to the wonderful voice work that brings the characters to life, and especially the Lovecraftian elements interwoven in both the story and gameplay, I had a great time with the portion of The Sinking City I played. The graphics and color palette do an incredible job of setting the atmosphere of a dilapidated city so closed off from the world that bullets have take the place of money as the currency.

 

Preview: The Sinking City has the makings of one murky mystery (Destructoid)

Upon starting it up, a disclaimer let me know The Sinking City isn’t going to shy away from controversial subject matter. The game takes place in a time when racism was rampant in America, though writing that sentence right now makes me realize I should be more specific and say it takes place in the past. Initially, I thought the game would only tackle more fantastical racist themes with two hybrid species present in the narrative: the Planet-of-the-Ape-like Throgmorton’s and fish-faced Insmouthers. However, as you can clearly see from the picture above, actual racism against black people plays a role too.

 

I’m not against video games tackling difficult subjects and I often think it’s unfair other forms of art and entertainment get free reign on controversial themes while games are, for whatever reason, “not allowed” to address them. However, Frogwares is a Ukrainian-based game developer, writing characters with a British tinge to their use of the English language. I'm not saying it's impossible for the developers to adequately address the issue in a way that goes beyond the old standard of "white savior," but America’s racist past is a difficult subject for even Americans to get right. It's a risky choice. I just hope it's the right one.

 

The Sinking City Hands-on Preview: A Detective Drowning in Demons (Den of Geek)

Of course, you can't judge a whole game by its first two levels, and only time will tell whether the initially-intriguing mysteries of The Sinking City are followed up with a worthwhile payoff. It's a visually arresting world, though, with lots of enticing elements, and we look forward to diving back in.

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13 minutes ago, SFLUFAN said:

 

Gunplay looks janky as fuck but at least it's not a walking sim. Looks like a decent mid-tier 7/10 tops type of game to me and combine that with Lovecraft and I actually might pick this up when it hits.

 

I definitely dig the protagonist looking like a washed-up Indiana Jones.

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How The Sinking City is built to make you notice your journey (Rock, Paper, Shotgun)

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I sometimes announce, to rooms at large, that I wished Assassin’s Creed Odyssey wouldn’t tell me what to do as much, and let me just explore. Imagine my shock, therefore, at the reveal of The Sinking City, a Lovecraftian detective game releasing just the other side of E3, promising “zero hand holding”. No objective markers on the map, and no trails on the street to follow – just your own wits.

 

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What matters most, in a game like this anyway, is the story telling an atmosphere. In that regard the reviews have had mostly good things to say! Apparently the issue that drags the overall score down is some janky combat/interaction controls. Not surprising considering this isn't a AAA title. I'm guessing this game will sell best when its 30-40 bucks. Still, the general consensus seems to suggest that this is one of the, if not the, best lovecraftian based games out there. 

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57 minutes ago, SFLUFAN said:

It seems like its pretty decent $40 to $50 game being sold for $60.

 

43 minutes ago, Mr.Vic20 said:

What matters most, in a game like this anyway, is the story telling an atmosphere. In that regard the reviews have had mostly good things to say! Apparently the issue that drags the overall score down is some janky combat/interaction controls. Not surprising considering this isn't a AAA title. I'm guessing this game will sell best when its 30-40 bucks. Still, the general consensus seems to suggest that this is one of the, if not the, best lovecraftian based games out there. 

 

My time is pretty tight as it is and with open world games you don't want to time sink into anything less than really good (Persona 5, Nier: Automata, Breath of the Wild, Witcher 3, Horizon Zero Dawn, etc.). I may jump in at some point though, just wish it was better. 

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Review compilation from OpenCritic

 

Game Information

Game Title: The Sinking City

Platforms:

  • PlayStation 4 (Jun 26, 2019)
  • Xbox One (Jun 26, 2019)
  • PC (Jun 26, 2019)


Publisher: Bigben Interactive
    

Review Aggregator

 

OpenCritic - 70 average - 43% recommended

Critic Reviews


GameSkinny - 9 / 10 stars

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With a distinct lack of hand holding, in-depth investigative mechanics, and a solid mix of open world design with mythos monsters, The Sinking City is the standard for Lovecraftian games.


Destructoid - 8.5 / 10

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Overall, as much as I adore the story and atmosphere of The Sinking City, it definitely feels like a budget title at times. If you can get past the weak combat, harmless jank, and enjoy a solid detective experience that won't hold your hand and throw tough choices your way, you shouldn't pass up on it. Even more so if you're a fan of Lovecraft. Because as the Old Ones were, the Old Ones are, and the Old Ones shall be and that's a good enough reason for me!


GameSpace - 8.5 / 10

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The mystery of what is really going on in Oakmont, and with lead character Charles Reed, kept drawing me in and often kept me playing far longer then I intended to.


PowerUp! - 8.4 / 10

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Playing The Sinking City feels oppressive, as it should. Oakmont is a terrible, rotten, half destroyed place where lawlessness abounds. Half the city believes in racial purity and the others believe in the long-dormant Elder Gods beneath the ocean. Even with the sometimes clunky dialogue and stiff animations, The Sinking City is a fascinating study of the human condition.


COGconnected - 84 / 100

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Save for the graphical issues, The Sinking City is heart-pounding, unrelenting, and addictive. Its powers of immersion and fear are not to be overlooked, and fans of eldritch horror, Cthulhu, and things that go bump in the night will definitely be satisfied playing in the dark.


The Games Machine - Italian - 8.4 / 10

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Even with its (few) flaws, The Sinking City manages to shine right where other games of the same genre have failed to impress. It doesn't abuse jumpscare and useless boss fights, but instead Frogwares focused on a well thought out and engaging investigative system and on pleasant action parts, which naturally lead the player to discover the monstrosities of the abyss and to bitterly repent of their own curiosity.


Gamefa - Persian - 8.4 / 10

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The Sinking City is the best game inspired by lovecraft's works that has been ever made. An exciting story, lot of mysteries, amazing atmosphere and many unique detective abilities, are waiting for you in Oakmont city. If you love games like detective based games like L.A Noire, you must not miss The Sinking City.


IGN Italy - Italian - 8.1 / 10

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A good example of how to craft a Mythos game. Not for the faint of heart. Cool fact: a gamer who knows nothing about the mythos will make probably all the wrong choices in the game.


WellPlayed - 8 / 10

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Frogwares expertly blends its Sherlock Holmes gameplay formula with Lovecraft's universe to create one of the best Lovecraftian experiences in years


Twinfinite - 4 / 5

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It would be nice to see the world and combat tightened up a bit, but its incredibly rewarding mystery-solving makes it a stellar investigation game that succeeds at such a naturally mystifying genre where many others fail.


Daily Star - 4 / 5 stars

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The Sinking City has an incredible atmosphere that really grips the darkest parts of your mind. Oakmont feels hostile, unwelcoming and full of secrets, but the game makes it clear that it might cost more than just your life to find out what they are. While it stumbles with its characters and combat, The Sinking City is a great first step into the supernatural detective game.


CGMagazine - 8 / 10

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The Sinking City struggles under the weight of its ambition, but it's compelling mysteries and horrific world make it a compelling journey.


MonsterVine - 4 / 5

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The Sinking City has its rough spots, but a good Lovecraft inspired game is hard to come by and Frogwares managed to craft a story that’s interesting enough to scratch that itch.


OnlySP - 4 / 5 stars

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The Sinking City is one of the best Lovecraft-inspired games available and, despite some slightly awkward controls in places, the game is brilliantly crafted. Fans of horror will love its atmosphere and those who enjoy investigative games will quickly become absorbed in the depth offered by the gameplay. Those who loved L.A. Noire or Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem, and players of the tabletop game, should definitely give thought to picking this title up.


SECTOR.sk - Slovak - 8 / 10

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Unique mix of Sherlock Holmes adventures with the universe of H.P. Lovecraft. Yes, it works!


Daily Dot - 4 / 5 stars

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The latest game to adapt Lovecraft’s fiction does so with a critical eye and some thrilling detective gameplay.

 


GamePro - German - 80 / 100

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A captivating detective story in a believable game world paired with the horror of H.P. Lovecraft and technical problems.


BaziCenter - Persian - 8 / 10

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The Sinking City is obviously not a complete open-world action adventure title, but it offers enough to keep you engaged with some solid story and atmosphere, great characters, wonderful modeling of the city of Oakmont, and that strange feeling that you would expect from H.P. Lovecraft works. If you can skip past some of the game's shortcomings, you'll get to experience something that you never did before.


Cerealkillerz - German - 7.9 / 10

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Unfortunately, the negative aspects in The Sinking City outweigh the positive ones: lackluster graphics, bug-ridden NPCs and a combat system that fails to deliver. But if you can dismiss all this, you will be in for a great action adventure and the most detailed lovecraft game world to date. It's still a must play for every fan of eldritch horrors and detective games!


Worth Playing - 7.9 / 10

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Dive into The Sinking City and welcome our Cthulhu overlords with open arms.

 


IGN - 7.8 / 10

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While occasionally frustrating, The Sinking City's compelling stories, exciting environments, and memorable characters make for one of the better Cthulhu lore games around.


Wccftech - 7.8 / 10

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The Sinking City is probably the Lovecraft inspired game currently available on the market, thanks to its oppressive atmosphere and its story, which utilizes the lore masterfully without deviating from the canon. AI and technical issues, as well as the clunky combat, are often immersion breaking, but the excellent investigation mechanics and exploration features make it easy to look past these issues. Highly recommended to survival horror fans and those who live and breath Lovecraft.The links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Wccftech.com may earn from qualifying purchases.


Fextralife - 7.6 / 10

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The Sinking City invites all the horror of a lovecraftian tale, with the balance to know more of what is happening in the city of Oakmont, all the while as you struggle to keep your sanity. There are quite a few places to explore, cases to take on, and discovering all its secrets could take you a while. If you're looking for a game that doesn't spoon feed you the answers and are looking to challenge your investigative abilities, this one could be for you. While not perfect visually, with bugs here and there, gameplay is enjoyable and brings a mix of combat and deduction. Definitely worth the price tag.


TechRaptor - 7.5 / 10

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The Sinking City has a fantastic story, atmosphere, and investigations, leading to something that feels genuinely unique. It's just a shame that it's brought down by an overabundance of crummy combat and glitches.


Stevivor - 7.5 / 10

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The Sinking City is a mixed bag; a riveting mystery that’s far less linear than anything Frogwares has ever done. It’s very rough around the edges however, likely to cause as much frustration as it does enjoyment.


PlayStation LifeStyle - 7.5 / 10

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Some issues hold me back from giving The Sinking City full marks, but I still recommend it. Whether you're a fan of Lovecraft, horror in general, or even a good old mystery, you may get a lot out of Frogware's latest. Just beware the call of Cthulhu.


Paste Magazine - 7.5 / 10

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I appreciate that the development team gave the player the second option. But, given the splash screen that begins the game, and Frogwares' clear understanding that they are dealing with a heated and contentious period of history, I question why they gave the player the first option.


TrueGaming - Arabic - 7.5 / 10

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The Sinking City has its pros and cons but, if you're really into case solving and compelling stories this game won't dissappoint.


Hobby Consolas - Spanish - 71 / 100

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The Sinking City is a faithful adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft´s universe, and has some interesting mechanics, but the game has many technical flaws and the open world structure feels "empty".


MSPoweruser - 7 / 10

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Without a doubt, The Sinking City is the best Lovecraft game we’ve ever seen. It’s still not a perfect title—for some reason, none are—but it’s a damn fun time as a Lovecraftian private eye. Hopefully, Frogwares will follow up with another Lovecraft title with stronger combat. But if investigating eldritch horrors in an entirely unique game world is what you’re after, you need to play this despite its flaws.


Gaming LYF - 3.5 / 5 stars

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The Sinking City is an incredibly ambitious open world detective title which punches way above its weight thanks to various refreshing mechanics, an engaging narrative and some impressively alluring world design. Combat woes, a rigid open world and numerous technical issues unfortunately let what's otherwise a great game down. However, The Sinking City is still well worth a look.


Shacknews - 7 / 10

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If you’ve ever been a fan of Lovecraftian horror or just mystery stories in general, The Sinking City is one stop you’ll want to make a little time for on your trip down the rabbit hole.


Spaziogames - Italian - 7 / 10

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Frogwares creates an open world and a story that both fit perfectly inside Lovecraft's mithology, but The Sinking City fails to stay aside the best games of the genre.


Push Square - 7 / 10

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The Sinking City is a captivating detective undertaking that dives into the hauntings of H.P. Lovecraft with a compelling narrative that is sure to question your viewpoint as well as reality itself. If you can look past its presentational shortcomings and mediocre combat system, the plight of private eye Charles Reed is one worth seeing for yourself.


Critical Hit - 7 / 10

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The Sinking City is a great game for fans of Lovecraftian horror and delivers some stellar quest writing but unfortunately stumbles due to overused and uninspired mechanics, a bland protagonist and general lack of life


God is a Geek - 7 / 10

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If you can ignore The Sinking City's technical failings, set the combat difficulty to easy and stick to getting embroiled in the story


PC Invasion - 3.5 / 5 stars

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A treat for fans of H. P. Lovecraft's works, mystifying settings, and followers of the Cthulhu Mythos. Unfortunately, its weaker combat and exploration mechanics remain asleep at the bottom of the ocean.


IGN Spain - Spanish - 7 / 10

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Despite the technical disaster that it is, The Sinking City knows how to capture the essence of H.P. Lovecraft's work to create their own story in an interesting place like Oakmont, full of details and mysteries to discover.


Tech Advisor - 3.5 / 5 stars

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The latest Cthulhu game has its charms, but mostly if you already love your Lovecraft - otherwise The Sinking City's rough edges might hold you at bay


Press Start - 7 / 10

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The Sinking City is easily the best H.P. Lovecraft game yet, throwing players into a well-realised but characteristically melancholy town that's coming to terms with its cosmic fate. It's a classic detective game through and through, which rewards smarts and isn't afraid to let you explore and immerse yourself with no handholding. It's just a bit of a shame that's hindered by some rudimentary combat, shoddy technical issues and an open world that's a little too big for its own good.


PC Gamer - 66 / 100

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An occasionally entertaining detective game blighted by poor writing, rote combat, and a dreary open world.


DualShockers - 6.5 / 10

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Despite featuring elements from many video games that I love, The Sinking City still fell flat for me.


PushStartPlay - 6.5 / 10

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A promising premise, drowned by its menacing ambition.


Glitched Africa - 6.5 / 10

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The Sinking City nearly drowns in its amazing atmosphere and the investigative work, especially when it comes to the main story, is fantastic. However, Frogware’s ambitious attempt at combining an investigation game with an open world simply doesn’t work as well as it could have. Sidequests are mostly uninteresting and with a big part of the game focused on collecting scarce resources from infested zones, the clunky combat doesn’t help.


PlayStation Universe - 6.5 / 10

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The Sinking City is a flawed gem, marred with technical issues and repetitive gameplay. The interesting worldbuilding and story elements are insufficient to carry the game in the face of poorly applied mechanics. The Sinking City could have benefited from an additional delay and a tighter game play loop.


AbsoluteXbox - 3.2 / 5

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The Sinking City is a game that in parts, is good. There are parts that I have quite liked, and there are some parts I really haven’t liked and found myself being engaged in at all.


Game Revolution - 3 / 5 stars

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The enjoyable Cthulhu detective story is enough to be worth seeing through, but it’s a mystery why the other parts of the game couldn’t be as strong.


TrueAchievements - 3 / 5 stars

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Lousy combat and a low-res, buggy, lifeless land are blemishes for sure, but overall while this may not be the best of the bunch, The Sinking City is certainly the most ambitious of all recent Lovecraftian horror games.


GameSpew - 6 / 10

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It won’t scare your socks off, but if you can avoid getting bogged down by The Sinking City’s clunkier elements, there’s enough to enjoy here.


GamingBolt - 6 / 10

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The Sinking City provides a compelling story, gorgeous art, and genuine  scares, but


VideoGamer - 5 / 10

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The Sinking City is well worth playing for the initial rhythm of its casework and the freshness of its setting, but its mechanics, like its mystery, end up flooded.


Cultured Vultures - 5 / 10

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It's very hard to call The Sinking City a "good game," all things considered, but it was definitely a game worth making. Keep an eye out for future improvements and hopefully someday it'll be a game worth playing.


GamesRadar+ - 2.5 / 5 stars

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The Sinking City's engrossing premise is ultimately betrayed by counterintuitive systems and bleak monotony.


We Got This Covered - 2.5 / 5 stars

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You'll rise from the murky depths of The Sinking City wondering whether you should have bothered getting wet in the first place.


Slant Magazine - 2.5 / 5 stars

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Worse than the sheer tedium of shooting is the effect it has on the game's atmosphere.


Game Rant - 2 / 5 stars

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The Sinking City is yet another Lovecraftian horror game that fails to live up to expectations, largely thanks to a flood of technical issues and tedious gameplay.


GameSpot - 3 / 10

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Clumsy design, tedious storytelling, and often game-breaking technical limitations sap The Sinking City of any real terror or intrigue.


Eurogamer - No Recommendation / Blank

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Frogware's most ambitious title to date sees it take on the Cthulu mythos, but unfortunately it makes for one of its most flawed games too.


Polygon - Unscored

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Great investigations and ancient horrors are hidden by frustrating action


Rock, Paper, Shotgun - Unscored

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Goodness, I was very interested in The Sinking City. I really wanted to love it. But I’m afraid rain may have stopped play this time.


ACG - Wait for Sale

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"Excellent exploration and puzzle solving mired in ho hum combat and world technology execution."


PlayStation Galaxy - Unscored

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Alas I hope the cliche ‘first impressions don’t last’ will be true for this game. I truly believe a few hours can redeem this game. I am optimistic that my final review will have a better insight of the supposedly deep story line and I am quite excited what can the other characters give to the table. Is it betrayal? Are they really there for the long haul? Are they truly helping the inhabitants of Oakmont or are they just looking to save themselves? Who is that sleeping giant and why gift Charles with Mind’s Eye? Stay tuned to my final review in the next few days!


GameByte - Unscored

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There are some flaws in Sinking City, but there is plenty of clever content to keep the player interested.

 

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