The Isle Tide Hotel Review (YVRcub.TTV)
The Isle Tide Hotel is an interactive ambitious full-motion video mystery game from Wales Interactive (Late Shift, Five Dates, Ten Dates, The Complex, etc.) and Interflix Media with huge influences from directors like Wes Anderson.
In The Isle Tide Hotel, you play as Josh Malone (Michael D. Xavier), who's come to the hotel to find his daughter who's missing / kidnapped. The game takes inspiration from various sources like Hitchcock, Knives Out, and the mentioned Anderson, creating a unique style and cinematography. A big plus, you can have access to the 4K DLC free with the game, making the game even more beautiful to play :)
As Josh searches for his daughter, players guide his journey by making conversational choices and occasionally investigating objects. Dialogue options come with a timer, but like previous FMV games, players can activate Streamer Mode to pause before making each choice. This is such a fun time to play this on stream... Having a Twitch integration for the future game??? Please Wales Interactive make it happen... ;)
The protagonist follows a trail of clues to the unique and enigmatic hotel. This mysterious place is surrounded by rumours and exclusivity. Inside, our hero uncovers a realm of peculiar occurrences, led by cult leaders and a colourful array of intriguing characters. This game is not like past FVM, not just a passive interactive movie, you are part of a investigation! There's some puzzles and you'll find info based on your decisions. Some are crucial to unfold the mysteries :)
The game's standout feature is the vibrant and lifelike characters encountered throughout the journey. The creative team has excelled in bringing these characters to life within the strange world of the hotel. The cast is diverse, featuring an incredibly unconventional CREEPY hotel receptionist, a married couple who speak as one – all contributing to the game's peculiar atmosphere. Despite the strangeness and many WTF moments, the performances are top quality, boasting a well-crafted cast and a wide range of compelling performances. A HUGE WOW to Jenny Galloway playing Melissa (discovered on my 2nd play-through). That sequence is just... WOW!
Depending on the path players take and if they utilise the scene-skipping function, a run through of The Isle Tide Hotel will generally last about one and a half to two hours.
With seven different main endings (and 14 different outcomes), The Isle Tide Hotel got a lot of replay value (more than any other FMV games).
Almost forgot, and the soundtrack? The music (song and score) is beautiful and very much part of the game! Yes, it's part of the game... ;)
Overall, "The Isle Tide Hotel" is a must-play for fans of FMV games and mystery enthusiasts alike. Its captivating story, superb acting, and interactive game play make it a standout title in the genre. It's not perfect but if you are fan of the genre, give it a try – you won't be disappointed!
And trust me, you'll need to replay it more than once to unfold all the mysteries of this hotel!