2.5/5 ★ – vassm's review of The Suicide of Rachel Foster.

"The Suicide of Rachel Foster" was an emotional rollercoaster, but not neccessarily in a good way. Right off the bat, this game felt like a love child of "Firewatch" and "Gone Home", both some of the best games I've played. It had the simple mechanics and thrill of "Firewatch" and the haunting atmosphere of "Gone Home". Nothing in my mind could've gone wrong lol. For the most part, I enjoyed the gameplay and the initial setup of the story. The sound design was phenomenal, and the intricate map made the experience incredibly fun to walk around in. I loved reporting to another person over the phone just like in "Firewatch", solving/gathering clues, and piecing things together all while being on edge. I was genuinely having a great time for the first hour or so. However, this is where the positivity ends...(Beware of spoilers ahead) XD. Now, where this game freaking collapses is in its deeply insensitive and morally distasteful narrative. Never in my life have I played a game that so blatantly romanticizes predatory relationships while downplaying their severity. What could have been an intruiguing mystery thriller devolved into what feels like a p*** apologoist's manifesto, and it comes out of nowhere... The protagonist's and every other characters perspective is disturbing. Instead of condemning her father for grooming a 16 year-old girl (who was her own age at the time), she fixates on how the "affair" ruined her family--as if the betrayal of trust was the real crime, not the abuse of a child. The same goes for the mother/wife and even Rachel's very own brother mentions how their relationship should've been left alone and was misunderstood.... LIKE HELLO? The writing is so tone-deaf that I genuinely question what the developers were thinking while making this game. I normally don't write very emotional reviews like this, but this game left me (and others considering how controversial this game is) conflicted, disgusted, and deeply disappointed. It's such a shame, because the reason I'm giving this game any stars is because of the first hour or so of gameplay. They really had me in the first half, given how similar the game was to some of the my favorites. "The Suicide of Rachel Foster" had so much potential, and it ended up fumbling the bag. 5.8/10