On "The Excavation of Hob's Barrow", its execution and ending
I'm in an adventure game spree at the moment, and I recently finished The Excavation of Hob's Barrow. I think this game is extremely well done, with a lot of things that I loved, but I felt let down by its ending.
The game is visually astonishing. I love how the screens feel alive (the wind moving the plants' leaves, animals crossing from one side to another, different weather and lighting). The pixel art is truly beautiful and the sound works really well. That way, navigation is fun, and I barely used the "fast travel" option because I enjoyed strolling the English vilages and moors (but it is a great feature).
The story is alright, pretty early it seems obvious that we're getting into folk horror territory, which is fine and proper for its setting. The puzzles aren't terribly hard, but I felt there was a progression: the first day the puzzles are quite easy, the second day you need to explore more and therefore the puzzles aren't that apparent (and I quite liked the not-so-popular fetch quests), and the third day is very reminiscent of great games involving exploring ruins, like Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, Flight of the Amazon Queen or The Dig, Still, the scope of the game isn't huge so eventually you can solve the puzzles without problems. I liked how they included a journal to solve the puzzles at the end, similar to the Indiana Jones games.
Then, we get to the controversial ending. I wasn't expecting a truly happy ending, but at the end of this game, you do everything right to get everything wrong. As possessed Thomasina, you are forced to kill her father (a completely useless action). So Thomasina's life is ruined forever. And the good guys win, although we don't really know for what, because all we see is that they meet at the chapel (we can only assume they will do human sacrifices).
I don't need several endings like some people demand, but a game is interactive media that requires the character's involvement. This ending would fit a book or a movie, but in a game, I expect that my actions would at least accomplish something. Not a completely happy ending, but at least someone could've been saved.
This ending could have worked if a sequel had been made, but after 4 years, it doesn't seem likely. I feel there was a lot more to explore of this story. What happens to the town after Abraxas is released again? And what was the deal with the priest and the bloodletting?
In conclusion, I really like how this game plays and looks, but they botched the ending. After playing it for years, I want to see that my actions lead somewhere. Otherwise it isn't a game, it's an interactive film.