Some people say that videogames don’t need to be fun. But if a game is not fun, what makes it engaging? And why are we in the theater? Let’s talk about Pathologic 2.
Darkness
Pathologic 2 is a play. Okay, it’s a narrative-driven videogame with survival elements. But also it’s a play. You play the role of Haruspex, a local surgeon who has just returned to his hometown, only to find that his father was murdered. Coincidentally, a plague outbreak happens, and everything becomes infinitely more complicated. You will find yourself surrounded by all kinds of characters with their own ideas and goals. And there will be some extras too, as the play wouldn’t feel as “alive” without some extras.
The fate of Haruspex is not an easy one. He will have to run around the town, sacrificing sleep and barely satisfying his basic needs, to hopefully find the cure for the plague before it wipes out everyone. Of course, the plague is extremely deadly, and it will wipe out thousands no matter what. But Haruspex doesn’t know that yet. And even if he did, that probably wouldn’t stop him.
Children Are Burying the Doll
The plague is death. Destruction of any hopes and dreams a person had. But can the dreams contradict the destruction? After all, the dreams are the root of creation. Should we ask the children? The children are full of dreams. In this town, they have an entire tower to themselves that’s built entirely out of dreams. They call it The Polyhedron, because that’s exactly what it looks like.
The children will be safe in The Polyhedron, as the strength of their dreams allows them to never grow up. Isn’t that nice? You have no need to ever interface with reality, so… no chance of catching the plague. No chance of meeting death. Death is scary.
Doctor’s Dead
Death is not that scary. In this play, death shouldn’t matter, since we can just replace the actor. Is it the same Haruspex as the one who just died? Yes, but also not exactly. A different actor means a different way of playing. The new one might not be as physically strong, or gets hungry faster. Or maybe the new actor is constantly sleepy. Some people will call this “punishment” when it’s merely standard procedure.
And even if you dare to turn back time, you’re still stuck with the new actor. The old actor will not be coming back. Oh, did that make the performance slightly more challenging? Well, maybe next time you’ll think twice before throwing yourself into combat against some random muggers unarmed.
Killing the Bison
Oh, you think you’re ready for combat? I’m sorry, but you’re just a normal human. If you fight against someone else, you can die as fast as they can. And if you dare to fight more than one person, you will quickly learn how much of a “normal human” you are in this performance. You’re not the main character — don’t even think about such priviliges. At least get some weapons or something! Not that they’re cheap or easy to get though.
But even with that in mind, the combat here is a bit overtuned. The production is far from perfect, and some extras may execute some weird actions that don’t exactly feel fair. This most likely wasn’t intentional. But don’t blame the extras — they disappear as quickly as they appear. You don’t have to fight that often in the first place. In most cases, the choice is yours.
Mourning of the Gone
The choice is not always yours. Certain events and deaths are preordained, while others can be avoided. Of course, you won’t know what exactly you’re about to face. Trial and error is key. Immunity boosters? Tinctures? Antibiotics? Cures? You will have to learn. Sometimes the hard way. But that’s what makes your performance so much more engaging. You can truly feel the desperation of Haruspex, as he tries one solution after the other, in futile attempts to find an answer.
Yes, the attempts may seem futile. Sometimes an answer comes while doing absolutely nothing. Did I mention that you have a choice to do nothing? It’s just as valid as the others. It may even lead you to better outcomes. Or it may not. Ultimately, almost everything can be skipped. But that would make for quite a boring play, wouldn’t it? Not to mention that it would also risk the lives of the townfolk.
Shaman From The Downtown
The town is always in danger. Each day, you will find some districts being currently affected by the plague. Walking through them is risky, as you might catch the sickness yourself. But you may also gain some benefits, such as additional reputation from helping the sick. The day after, the very same district will become lifeless, a mere shell of what it was, completely robbed by death. But the houses are still there, and the now-gone inhabitants may have left some belongings. You can turn into a marauder, but keep in mind that you won’t be the only one. And the others sure are not friendly.
The rest of the districts are peaceful. You can talk to the extras, and even trade with them. Remember: one man’s garbage is another kid’s treasure. And vice versa. Among the townsfolk there are also steppe people. They respect their own history and try to follow the traditions in order to preserve their unique culture. This, of course, may result in some clashes with the others. The play you’re a part of is not afraid to touch on the sensitive topic of the good old postcolonialism.
When it comes to many characters of this play, everyone has their own ideal, and they’re all different. Will you listen to the ramblings of someone who tries to convince you they’re capable of actual magic? Or someone who thinks they’ve found a way to build a Utopia? Or will you think they’re all insane, and join the big-city Bachelor on his scientific adventure of trying to defeat death? Or maybe you will find it all extremely tiring. After all, you’ll have to visit a lot of places and perform a lot of tasks, while making sure you’re not hungry by munching on an egg you just took from a kid in exchange for some needles. It’s a nifty exchange, and it means less running to the stores (of course we have stores), and less wasting time. And the time is always ticking.
Daphne, The Wolf Berry
Oh yes, the time is always ticking. The performance has a schedule, and it will move on regardless of your attempts at silly rituals or playing with the kids. Walking around the streets? The time passes. Got in the fight? The time passes. Trying to help someone? The time passes. Contemplating your decisions? The time passes. There won’t be enough time to do everything. There won’t be enough time to save everyone. There won’t be enough time to celebrate a success, or to mourn a loss.
As Haruspex, you’re always on the move. Always planning what to do next, and how to deal with everything in time. While not forgetting to make sure you don’t die of starvation or tiredness or the plague itself. The feeling of pressure is unavoidable. No one said this role would be easy. You are but a single person who has to be in five different places at the same time. A single doctor in the town of tens of thousands of people. What can you even do? Do you really think you can save the town from a deadly plague that’s guaranteed to kill an infected person within a single day? How? Seriously, how?
You cannot win. You don’t get to decide how the play goes. The script is already written. It will all end in less than 12 days. The fate of Haruspex is not an easy one. And it has been sealed from the start. You might be wondering, “What’s the point?” Well, we all have our roles in real life. We all have to “perform” for other people. The script might not be as predetermined, but it’s still quite hard to make changes. Is it that much different from a theater performance? The offer to play as Haruspex is an offer to experience a different life. A life most peculiar, in a place where dreams can be physical, and wonders can be practical. It may not be “fun”, but it sure is captivating. A one-of-a-kind experience that uses the medium known as “videogames” to its fullest. It’s not afraid to use challenging gameplay to tell a challenging story. And for that itself, it is worth a try.
Darkness
So, are you going to take the role?