Review
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Fahrenheit
So during the last three days I have had the chance to get through the story of Fahrenheit, also known as indigo Prophecy.
Fahrenheit is an game made by Quantic Dream from 2005 and the same kind of Interactive Movie as Heavy Rain and Beyond Two Souls, making it a mix of movie and game.
Today, early in the morning I have finished the game and so here is what I think about it.
Story:
Spoiler Alert
The story starts with a murder in the toilet of a restaurant called "Doc's Diner". You see the protagonist, Lucas Kane commiting that murder, however its already shown that it is not actually himself but only his body being the host for someone during a ritual while Lucas actually even consciously notices what happens but is unable to control his own body. That said, as long as there are no other connections with Lucas it is pretty obvious that he himself is innocent.
Then you're in action for the first time. Lucas wakes up and the man he didn't even know lies dead on the restroom floor. You have the choice to do some things such as washing your hands, cleaning the floor, dragging the corpse inside one of the toilet cabins but you have to choose wisely and hurry as there is a police man in the restaurant and he is about to go to the toilet as well.
Now, to not get an unexpected, non-canonical game over that quickly Lucas desparately does a few things looks for the next taxi and is gone.
The two other main characters, police officers Carla Valenti and Tyler Miles, arrive and that's pretty much it: Most of the time they try to solve the case while Lucas wants to figure out what has happened to and with him. Eventually he gets chased by them as well as he is used again with the powers of the ominous "Oracle" and he also finds out that he himself also has some superpowers because of the "Chroma", a force that he is blessed with. From then everything starts to get downhill for him. He finds out more about the Oracle, what the oracle serves for, tries not to get caught by the police and the powers of the Oracle and Lucas' powers get pretty random. The Oracle was obvious from the very beginning but Lucas once he finds out what he is capable of goes all DBZ style and starts fighting back by some kickass flying and martial arts as well as some energetic techniques. Random but actually pretty cool.
Very early also Lucas is also influenced by some creatures that are absolute RANDOM in this game and the most unnecessary thing in the story as they provide NOTHING. The Artificial Intelligence. Without any further explanation how they can appear corporeal and why they also have such powers they are just there as a second clan (the first one being the one that the Oracle serves) which wants to rule the world.
Nonsense at its finest. The first clan would have been enough OR AT LEAST A DECENT EXPLANATION for the A.I.
Once Lucas says screw you all they try to get rid of him and actually succeed after bringing in his former girlfriend, Tiffany. Both Lucas and her die. Then the A.I. goes all Universal Soldier and brings back Lucas to life because "it is easy for them to do so", whatever that means. At least they could have said they also have the power of the Chroma or something like this and so are able to revive someone but no, not even how those guys got those powers is explained. I mean, they are A.I.s but nothing more.
Lucas asks Carla to help him and she believes his story. As the two clans want to get the kid of the prophecy, the Indigo child (hence the name "Indigo Prophecy") which promises absolute power by giving the answer to every question in existence Lucas decides its best to find the girl and hide her. Actually there the first real battle with them Oracle unleashes and the A.I.s introduces themselves as the ones who acted like "we wanted to help you but actually we're just some other evil-for-nothing group".
Lucas and Carla hide Jade, the Indigo Child, get all hot and start making love before the final battle.
Final Battle. Lucas returns with Jade to his home at some Military Research Basis, goes Neo VS Smith with the Oracle and kills him. Then he uses the force of Star Wars to knock out some soldiers and the A.I. that wants to kill him gets his ass kicked by Lucas's willpower. He carries Jade to the altar and Lucas gets the keeper of the answer. (Best Ending)
For some reason the cult that the Oracle was from just returns to the shadows and is not destroyed or anything and the A.I.s just return to the internet. Why they are not destroyed, I don't know.
Lucas is not comfortable of his role as a god-like entity as keeper but tries to start a normal life with Carla who is pregnant with his child.
All in all, though all of its randomness, plotholes, unexplained questions and the fact that I wrote it funny because it is so random and I want the readers to have something to laugh, I really liked it.
Game Mechanics: The mechanics, the controls are just horrible. Your movements, especially turning around is often just ignored because of further movements. Quick Time Events are in the middle of the screen just blocking your sight of what could actually is pretty cool such as the battles, you cannot skip but that is something I don't mind that much but repeating certain parts is just annoying, however that is a natural game flaw of gamingverse. I was already annoyed often by Beyond Two Souls mechanic but that is preposterous.
Graphics: 2005 and such graphics? Often they seemed to be like PSX graphics, maybe a bit better with the exception of faces, especially that of Carla. Ever heard of a 2001 title called Final Fantasy X? Of course it depends on the budget as well but this often just looks too bad and often blurry, even on an old TV.
Music: The music, though some exceptions is okay to good. Some is sad such as the main theme and stand out such as the main theme, others are not very noticable. At least for me. Still there were a few really good or nice tracks.
Replay Value: That is a bit hard to say. I mean, the story alone is okay and good enough for it to be replayed but those game mechanics really can be too annoying and the fact that much of it just looks so bad (coming from a guy who plays NES games but at least it shoudl fits its time) are reason to hesitate. I say for the story you are able to overcome such obstacles and even replay it, after all I also just did what was to do because I wanted to finish it - it is not completely comparable as one is a first walkthrough and the other one is a replay walkthrough but as I talk about the story in particular I say, it is as every other game. If you really want to experience the story again, you should be fine with dealing with the flaws. Or use youtube, I guess but that's not the same.
Conclusion: I just don't know. I mean, I really like the game. However, if there are so many apparent flaws, it makes me sad somehow. We most likely won't get a sequel, as it was not done even though it was planned for a while after it was asked for, many things are very random in both good and bad ways, also resulting in plotholes, no answers, unnecessary story parts, then there are those mechanics and the graphics. Those who actually like those things and can deal with it enough might be fine but these things are too present for me in a negative way and actually the story alone is pretty much what made up for these things in my opinion - including the fact that I didn't expect a lovemaking scene that present in a game for 16 year olds (o.O). That random DBZ style, as random as it was was just something I liked very much. Many people here know I am a DB and Star Wars fan, so it is normal for me to like those scenes.
Overall I liked it and recommend it but at the same time warn you to be cautious as those things might also annoy you.
