I’m torn. On one hand, yeah, this makes it easier for players who were turned off by past titles as frustrating, brutal experiences.

Yet that is equally the world Pathologic puts you in. One that is brutal, unflinching and unforgiving. One where you may be shanked for a bottle of water, where you have to decide who is worth saving. One where, if you make a mistake, you live with it until the curtain falls. Better luck next show, hope you get it right this time, here’s a bit of the script to help you remember. One where doing what feels like the right thing in the moment can be proven wrong down the line.

It sounds pretentious, but I’ve had a hard time looking at the Pathologic series as games over just interactive experiences, something more akin to CYOA novels. Things with brutal failure states you may not realize you triggered until chapters later.