[b]The good[/b]
- Interesting concept: walking around an abandoned island as a photographer.
- The camera function is by far the best part of this game. The ability to apply a wide range of parameters to each photo (filters, focal length, f stops, frames, colour and contrast etc.) is where the value is right now.
- Changeable lighting and weather states.
- The navigation map and its teleport function.
[b]The bad[/b]
My first two points are matters of ethics. The latter remarks concern game play.
- I think the developers need to mention the historical controversy surrounding Hashima Island as a site of alleged forced labour during wartime. They do not need to take sides on this issue, but since Hashima is presented as an historical site in the game, and the main purpose of the game is to "tour" this site, then at the very least, users need to be alerted to the fact that there is a sensitive discussion about the island's modern history. Perhaps an "about" section could be created in the game's menu with references to impartial information about the history of the island.
- I also think the developers need to make it clear that the island depicted in the game has been reconstructed with Showa era decor. In the current English text on the game's store page, they refer to it as "A complete recreation of Battleship Island from a time that no longer exists." Which "time" period are they referring to? It's not clear. Again, since the game presents a degree of historical realism, it would be helpful for visitors to know which historical era is being quoted, or used as inspiration for the game design.
- For this game to really live up to its current price tag, the developers need to work on its detail. At the moment, the spaces are quite uniform and generic. There are also a number of anachronisms and anomalies. For example, there are current day U-haul boxes in the abandoned cinema. U-haul is a US company, generally not found in Japan.
- The idea of random weather patterns and controllable weather and lighting states is great, but in practice the states change too quickly and rain seems to come all the time. I would just like to be able to choose each parameter and have it stick to it.
- There is no way to save camera settings. So each time you take a picture you have to redo all the settings.
- There is no way to crouch or go prone. Getting different angles for shots.
- There is no sound. It would really help atmosphere and immersion if there were realistic sound effects.
- Movement around the island is still clunky. There are parts that you can't access for no apparent reason.
- It would be great to have an option to easily access the in-game photo album on your local hard drive.
[b]Conclusion[/b]
The concept of this game is great. The idea of being a photographer on an inaccessible island in Japan is very appealing. However, given that the game tries to evoke a sense of historical realism, I think some basic information on the history of this island, which is sensitive and contested needs to be included in the game,
While I really wanted this game to work, I don't think it offers enough detail to make it fully immersive. The lack of a soundscape was also disappointing. So I'm hoping the developers work on this in future releases and transform the game into a the authentic experience that it has the potential to be. At which point, I'll be happy to amend my review.
However, right now, given the relatively high cost of this game (2600 Yen), and given the fact that it still needs a fair amount of development, I have given it a thumbs down. I think the game's concept is great, deceptively simple, and I could well imagine it being applied to other locations and settings around the world.
