*DISCLAIMER* I'm not a fan of the horror genre in general and I haven't played many horror games so I cannot assess the game in terms of its horror mechanics and tropes. So far I've been blown away by everything in it. What is even more amazing is that this game doesn't have jump scares. I was trembling with fear at times and the horror was put in me masterfully through visuals, sound (especially sound) and story. The fear and tension were always at the back of my mind (and neck, haha), waiting to overcome me. I respectfully commend the designers for this achievement.

So I finally finished the game. I will not be changing my original review. I will just add a few notes.

This is my original review before finishing the game. If you overcome your fears, you'll find a masterfully crafted game experience - a unique and immersive atmosphere, brilliant sound design, a deep and imaginative sci-fi story that is on par with some great sci-fi works of past times, that can leave you awake at night for hours, contemplating what just transpired. Play this game preferably at night or in a dark room with good the best headphones you have.

These are my additional thoughts after finishing the game. I've read in other reviews that the monsters in the game weren't good but for me if it weren't for them, I wouldn't have enjoyed the game as much as I did. Still there are two aspects I didn't like about them. First, they could've been more developed in terms of their character. Each monster has its backstory if you are willing to look for it but it is not obvious and only if you look for it, you will find it. Second, at a certain point you get used to anticipating the next monster and generally the encounters were similar with a slight twist in each of them. However, the first point and a few surprises and unpredictable moments alleviate this issue.

The other and last problem I had with the game is a mild spoiler about the narrative in terms of its structure but I reveal nothing specific about the story. In the way the story is presented, the developers are using a trick at certain points in the narrative. There's no way to tell the story without this trick but initially it complicates the gameplay experience until you figure it out.

That trick had sparked lots of heated discussions around the Internet, which only complicated the story. It's actually simpler. I wish they did it differently but when I think about it there were only two ways and they chose one and mixed it with the other and it could have been the other way around.

Finally, I'd like to mention something important that I think people must know before playing this game. Although the main plotline is presented to you through dialogue and in-game cutscenes, a huge amount of the overall story or the lore is hidden, in a way, in the game world. Some things are in data logs, some - in audio logs however the rest are in the game world itself - its sounds, its visuals, the environments, object placements, etc. Some pieces are even not mentioned at all and you have to figure them out by yourself. For me that was one of the best aspects of this game but I understand that some people may not like this at all. Just keep it in mind.

Conclusion. This is by far one of the best games I've played and an all-time favorite of mine. The narrative issue is there but without it the game wouldn't have been possible. Even all of its flaws cannot take away from this truly unique and amazing experience.

10/10

*DISCLAIMER* I'm not a fan of the horror genre in general and I haven't played many horror games so I cannot assess the game in terms of its horror mechanics and tropes. [strike]So far[/strike] I've been blown away by everything in it. What is even more amazing is that this game doesn't have jump scares. I was trembling with fear at times and the horror was put in me masterfully through visuals, sound (especially sound) and story. The fear and tension were always at the back of my mind (and neck, haha), waiting to overcome me. I respectfully commend the designers for this achievement. So I finally finished the game. I will not be changing my original review. I will just add a few notes. [u]This is my original review before finishing the game.[/u] If you overcome your fears, you'll find a masterfully crafted game experience - a unique and immersive atmosphere, brilliant sound design, a deep and imaginative sci-fi story that is on par with some great sci-fi works of past times, that can leave you awake at night for hours, contemplating what just transpired. Play this game preferably at night or in a dark room with [strike]good[/strike] the best headphones you have. [u]These are my additional thoughts after finishing the game.[/u] I've read in other reviews that the monsters in the game weren't good but for me if it weren't for them, I wouldn't have enjoyed the game as much as I did. Still there are two aspects I didn't like about them. First, they could've been more developed in terms of their character. Each monster has its backstory if you are willing to look for it but it is not obvious and only if you look for it, you will find it. Second, at a certain point you get used to anticipating the next monster and generally the encounters were similar with a slight twist in each of them. However, the first point and a few surprises and unpredictable moments alleviate this issue. The other and last problem I had with the game is a mild spoiler about the narrative in terms of its structure but I reveal nothing specific about the story. [spoiler]In the way the story is presented, the developers are using a trick at certain points in the narrative. There's no way to tell the story without this trick but initially it complicates the gameplay experience until you figure it out. That trick had sparked lots of heated discussions around the Internet, which only complicated the story. It's actually simpler. I wish they did it differently but when I think about it there were only two ways and they chose one and mixed it with the other and it could have been the other way around.[/spoiler] Finally, I'd like to mention something important that I think people must know before playing this game. Although the main plotline is presented to you through dialogue and in-game cutscenes, a huge amount of the overall story or the lore is hidden, in a way, in the game world. Some things are in data logs, some - in audio logs however the rest are in the game world itself - its sounds, its visuals, the environments, object placements, etc. Some pieces are even not mentioned at all and you have to figure them out by yourself. For me that was one of the best aspects of this game but I understand that some people may not like this at all. Just keep it in mind. [u]Conclusion.[/u] This is by far one of the best games I've played and an all-time favorite of mine. The narrative issue is there but without it the game wouldn't have been possible. Even all of its flaws cannot take away from this truly unique and amazing experience. 10/10