Erica in the Test

One of the bigger Surprises of the gamescom 2019, was the immediate Release of the Live-Action Thriller Erica. Interactive movies, there are already a couple of years and also play movie DVDs on this Trend again and again in your bonus material. I remember only too well one of the Mini-games on the Disc of Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone, which, with the help of its remote control, the access to Diagon alley had to find. But a really big success of this genre was always somehow up to now?

The young Erica suffers from nightmares, in which you must always a terrible Trauma from her Childhood through life. One day, she receives a package delivered, it’s more than just old wounds in your tears. Disturbed by the contents of the package – two bloody severed arms – she turns to the police. This brings you helpful to Dr. Flowers, an old friend of your family, which is the head of the Delphi house. In the small clinic, Erica has spent as a child a lot of time, because her father had worked there as a doctor and her mother as a nurse. But strange incidents in Erica’s doubts about whether she is really sure.

Smartphone or Controller, that is the question!

You have to play her Erica, by either the Touchpad on your controller or on the screen of your mobile device, the required wipe pattern performs. In your App-Store of confidence you can shop quickly and easily with the companion app on your device and are ready to get started. The connection between your mobile device and the PlayStation restore, you need to make sure that both are on the same Wi-Fi. If necessary, you can connect directly with the console a Hotspot.

I’ve done a pass with my phone and one with the Controller and can say that the controller works on the Display of the mobile device is a lot smoother and easier. Here, I was disconnected accidentally twice, the connection, due to an unfavourable positioning of the Smartphones and my knee on the Sofa. Otherwise, there were no problems. Playing with the Controller is somewhat imprecise and has made me sometimes a deliberate decision, since I is reduced with the Change of the wiper in the direction of the pressure and thus an early entry got triggered.

You must choose your decisions Wisely.

Swipe right!

Your not in control of Erica itself, but carries out actions for you and decides the further course of the game. To will start by means of a gas-lighter to the Mechanics of the game brought. By Swiping from right to left, you open the lid, by the movement of the top to the bottom, turn the wheel to activate the fire. White lines on the screen show you what kind of movement you need to perform. However, not only for simple tasks, such as the Use of a Lighter or Turn on a water tap you are responsible, you also chose Erica’s answers and actions. In these moments, words appear in white on your TV screen and you have to draw a small point of light to your desired response, then release it.

With this technique, you can also decide what Erica explore or the point on which you should focus. Not all of the actions you can perform important for the course of the game, but a lot of fun. The package you receive to start with, you can open, for example, in your desired speed. I wanted to make it as dramatic as possible, and I have brought the content as slowly as possible, to the fore. After a short settling-in, the Wipe feels very intuitive and can be performed without turning his view from the television.

And, Action!

Most of the time consists of the use of various actions good and I also think the clean wipe a mirror amusing. But in some scenes the contrast between the current Live-Action scenes and the stopped decision-making moments is down to strong for my taste. When it comes to that Erica gives an answer, then the Moment fits well in the course, because the actors move and speak with the eyes – it feels authentic and alive. In other scenes it has stopped abruptly, and the actions performed, for example, Opening a gift, unfortunately, very Stop-Motion-like.

Cinematic is Erica beautiful view, Framing, Lighting and composition are all consistent and create a unique atmosphere. To be the joins, as the fist on the eye matching, Soundtrack from Austin Wintory, which sounds to me in the Indie Hit Journey, enchanted have. But above all, it must, of course, be also praised the Cast, which is a credible Performance delivers. And Yes, I’m writing this now really, although I have to suspend at this point, is actually always something – the German synchronization is become fabulous.

Dr. Flowers offers you his help.

What if…?

What if I would have made a different decision, would I still be here? This gives it a highly recommended Doctor Who episode, in the one of the Companions of the Doctor at a traffic light to the left instead of the right moves and live a completely different course. And flavour works in Erica this concept to heart. The developer makes many decisions, each with its own consequences. After my first run, I had a second attach, since I now had so many questions. And these all had in common, you started with: “What if…?”

Here, the immensely high replay value of the Thriller hidden. My two runs were not able to make a different. I’ve seen two different stories that were superficially similar, but fundamentally different. I have deliberately taken the other options to see what effects they have, and I am positively surprised about the depth of this. The decision of a ringing phone in a seemingly empty house, or long to Explore just a dimly-lit corridor is not easy and I personally wanted to know what would have happened if I had decided differently.

CONCLUSION

I was of Erica is more than just positively surprised. Interactive movies of this quality can come in the future increasingly on the market, because I had really good entertainment in the life of Erica’s adventure. Flavour works has a lot of love to Detail in your work plugged in, and you’ll feel while Playing. Another big plus point of the immensely high replay value offered by the many branches is. Even after two passes I still do not have enough of Erica , and so some of the questions whose answers I next run out will! In my opinion, there is an optimum combination of Film and game, not only video player, but also movie-lovers will get their costs. I think that Erica just the doors for the future of the Interactive film has opened and I’m curious, what in this area is still expected.

What is Erica? Interactive Live-Action Thriller
Platforms: PlayStation 4
Tested on: PS4 Pro
Developer / Publisher: Flavour Works / Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe
Release: 20. August 2019
Link: Official Website