Even to this day it's one of the most beautiful games out there. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter's popularity not only stems from its visuals, but also its gripping story which exudes intrigue throughout the campaign. It gently eases you into its mechanics and abilities. Luckily, after all these years, Xbox One owners will be able to experience the masterpiece for the first time this month. What's even more surprising is that the game will feature Xbox One X support. It's unclear what the frame rate or resolution will be on Microsoft's new console though.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a first-person mystery game focused on exploration and discovery. The title garnered critical acclaim when it launched all those years ago. You step into the shoes of Paul Prospero, an occult-focused detective who receives a disturbing letter from a child named Ethan Carter. After realizing that the boy is in grave danger, Paul arrives at Ethan's home of Red Creek Valley, where events turn out to be even worse than expected.
Ethan has vanished in the wake of a brutal murder, which Paul quickly determines might not be the only local murder worth looking into. According to the developers — inspired by the strange fiction and other macabre tales from the early twentieth century — The Vanishing of Ethan Carter was made to significantly evolve immersive storytelling in games. Despite the fact that it features overused plot points like a private detective, the game's focus on atmosphere, mood, and the essential humanity of the characters is its defining factor.
Revelations don't happen on their own, or without your help. Using both Paul's supernatural skill of being able to communicate with the dead, and your own powers of observation, you will discover the mystery behind a trail of corpses, the truth behind a dark ancient force lurking in Red Creek Valley, and the fate of the missing child. The ending is quite possibly one of the biggest twists in any game and hopefully you won't see it coming.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is set in an open world environment which the player can roam around and explore at will. You can walk from one side of town to the other without having to pass certain missions. Some of the key features of the game include the following.
- Explore and interact with the ominous world of Red Creek Valley, which was created using Unreal Engine 4 and a revolutionary photogrammetry technology that allows for nearly photorealistic environments.
- Communicate with the dead and see how they perished in order to gather clues that help you piece together the truth behind Ethan's disappearance and what happened to his family.
- Conduct your investigation on your own terms and at your own pace through a non-linear manner.
- The game was inspired by writers such as Raymond Chandler, Algernon Blackwood, Stefan Grabinski, and the legendary H. P. Lovecraft.
A listing for The Vanishing of Ethan Carter recently appeared on the Microsoft Store with a release date of January 19, 2018. The page has a prompt which allows players to preorder the game but it's not functioning at the moment. We'll update you as soon as preorders go live on Xbox One.
The developer behind the game, The Astronauts, revealed a new shooter called Witchfire a little less than a month ago. Witchfire is a dark fantasy first-person game which combines firearms and magic in a unique way. Unfortunately, the title was only confirmed for Steam but the fact that The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is coming to Xbox One gives us hope that Witchfire may land on Microsoft's console one day.
Update 1/5/18: The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is now available for digital preorder on Xbox One for $19.99. The preorder button works now. Leveraging the power of Xbox One X, The Astronauts has included support for full 4K resolution, providing players with their clearest look at the game's world yet. In addition to offering everything from the game's Windows PC and PS4 versions, the Xbox One release of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter also includes a brand new "Free Roam" mode. Free Roam mode allows players to take in the sights and sounds of Red Creek Valley on their own terms, without a trace of murder.
Keep an eye on WindowsCentral.com/Gaming for all the latest in Xbox and Windows 10 gaming, accessories, news, and reviews!
