So I've redrafted this post for a few times, about 5 days after finishing DS Director's Cut on Steam. Just took my time as the game's pros/cons kept coming to me, but I didn't want to rehash lots of the topics previously written at least on this sub. However, I hope I can at least provide some content if you're reading this and want to know if this game is worth it for you or not. And to provide a bit of my emotions which I felt at the end.
It took me about 1 month to get through 10 or so hours. Which put me somewhere at the end of Episode 2 or near Episode 3. There were parts at the start where I almost just said f it, this is dumb. Once Sam started crying for like the 10th time in a video break, just seemed ridiculous. It was difficult to understand too, and felt like the game narrative didn't clue me in on what was going on. Again, just took me a lot of time as the 'hook' didn't set in.
Which leads me to a John Strife Hayes (YTr) video I watched recently. Talked about (my words and my interpretation) how a game should treat a new player. Get them hooked in in under 2 hours. Spoke of how many players don't get much further than the training module in a game, as shown via Steam achievements. This I felt was me in this game, but I kept going because it was so different, so new, and looked gorgeous. Also, who doesn't like Norman Reedus?
So I kept with it during Episode 3, then after it all just clicked. Not sure what happened, maybe more pieces of the story got filled in, or mechanics were more familiar. Combination? One thing I know I did around Episode 5 was to move the difficulty slider down. I was done managing the same minutia as I experienced from Episode 1. I also stopped doing side-deliveries in Episode 3. They didn't seem to add much 'new' or meaningful dialogue. Certainly didn't progress the main story.
Though once I got to 15 hours, I flew through the game and was hooked. Story picked up. New stuff to build. Relationship with BB was awesome. Struggling through the snow was fulfilling.
Then the ending. Walking with BB through the fields, with the music, extra-wide field of view of camera, and the unknown of what would happen at the incinerator.....I still get chills thinking about it. I've re-watched on youtube a bunch of times and wish I could experience it new again. It completely filled the mythos of the game, and provided a more than satisfactory ending. In my 30+ years of gaming, this might be my favorite scene/experience.
All that to say, if one is a gamer, one should probably play this game. Stick with it. The payoff is massive, emotional, and it will stick with you. Is it one of my favorite games? No, probably not. However, the sum is greater than the parts, and I'd definitely recommend it to someone if they're in a funk of not knowing what to play.
Should a game take 10 hours for it to finally kick-in to make it worth it? No probably not, and that may just be me. If though you're somewhere in Episodes 1-3, I'd say hang in there. It's worth it!
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