In around 4 attempted runs so far, I've gotten as close as around 10k/50k with 1/3 of the time remaining. It started to get a bit frustrating around the hour mark, but I'll probably go back to it another time. I do love the dense atmosphere this game presents, as it is with almost every Merlino game. The gloomy dark environments contrasting with the breathtaking purple skybox make for a great setting. I just can't help, but wonder what stories you could set in a world like this... But as it stands I'm running around from outpost to outpost, collecting coins and sneaking around guards in a time rush. And I don't want this to sound like a dig against Antonio, that the game isn't as deep or fleshed out as it could be, because I'm aware of what limitations indie, and even more, solo game dev presents. I mean it more as a way of highlighting how great of an environment designer he is, that the game is even making me wonder those things, and how much I respect and admire his work, because for €3 this is great quality and totally worth it.

The amout of "video game logic" used in the level design was a bit shocking to me at first, but I got over it relatively quickly. The main drive of the game was the story, which unfortunately gets drawn out with way, way too many cover shooter encounters, especially in the later stages of the game, when some enviroments get recycled. The final level is also pretty terrible, as it requires you to complete a few sets of cover shooting stages, while the antagonist hides behind cover and can one-shot you if you're not careful enough. When you finally rid of all of his guards the game concludes with a set of QTEs in a scene where it seems like there are multiple logically sound ways of approaching the situation, but only one is correct. You have to learn that route through trial and error. Not great game design. Despite all this, I'd say I enjoyed my time with Drake's Fortune. The game still holds up graphically. If you squint a bit the enviroments could even be called stunning. The driving force of the game were the story and the moments of interaction between characters. I'd say in a way it all felt comfy? Yeah, the game could benefit from cutting out like an hour or two of straight combat and a better final section, but it was still a fun, short and sweet adventure.

I had fun, for sure, but that was mainly down to me craving the GTA formula after seeing the VI trailer. The story itself wasn't great. The main villain we go after in the final mission only gets introduced like 2/3 of the way through the game, and before that you just do whatever dumb shit Tony wants you to do without any grander goal. The family side-plot was probably the worst out of the bunch. The way Luis' mom is portrayed feels extremely shallow, like the writers wanted to make sure of the ways she is hypocritical in dealing with her son, and in the process lost out on any possible subtly. Similarly annoying were the missions with his childhood friends, low level criminals stuck in that same shortsighted mindset that got him a 3-year sentence in the events leading up to the game's events. Every single time Luis tries to confront them about the way they live their lives, he ends up nearly getting caught "doing some dumb shit" again. It's so annoying. Overall this was fun tho, if a little mindless : )