"it's…relatively balanced about the minorities"

No, he doesn't. If you disagree with her about the radio tower (that's not "doing what she says" - it's just disagreeing - she doesn't tell him to do it), he can take the flare gun, try to save her both times, then shoot the flare gun at the creature who's dragging him.

"Matt gets killed if he follows whatever Emily says for the whole game."

You say that as if it's a bad thing. I'd be out of there as fast as possible too. Anyway, as it happens, you're incorrect: Chris is out first, and he's really sprinting - he's by far the fastest in leaving the house. Then Emily slowly backs towards the door, then she runs out. Next Ashley does the same - backing…

The ending interviews all depend on what choices you made during the game. Emily's responses depend on the choices you make and the mistakes you make or avoid. She can remain a bitch or she can be introspective, regretful of her bitchiness, and supportive and worried about Matt. This is all about characterization.

Yeah, I just don't get the "stigmatisation of mental illness" thing, at all.

I can't stand the guy's regular voice (he sounds like a radio news anchor), so "weird baby voice" sounds like an improvement.

Be aware, the plot is linear - it basically has to be to support the non-linear nature of the characters and their survival. I think a lot of people have been misled by some reviewers to expect a non-linear plot, but that isn't what the developers intended at all.

She is a bitch, but she becomes worse if Matt doesn't support her. But when she's on her own, she shows what a strong character she has underneath all that bitchiness. By the game's end (if she survives), she's still a bitch, but you gotta respect her for getting through what she gets through, because unlike all the…

I think the reviewer misses the fact that the unlikeability of the characters is: 1, to some extent based on your decisions; and 2, changes throughout the game. For example, there is one particular character who can become a real witch if her boyfriend doesn't support her (you control whether he does), but as she's…

I don't think Martin would be better-off being a bad spy. His mother needs a transplant and Martin's handlers just need an excuse not to get her on the waiting list. Sure, we know they aren't likely to follow through either way, but Martin can't take the risk.

Having lived in Germany and Austria from 1984-'89, I'm really enjoying this. One thing that bothered me a little is that when Martin finds himself in the supermarket, we don't really get a sense of why he appears kinda stunned before the wall of produce. On a trip to East Berlin in (IIRC) 1987, the reason was clear to…

Right on! Also, and more to the point of the article, my copy of the game won't let me avoid those hideous pseudo-English accents and instead play the game in French language - the option is greyed out. presumably Canadians get the game in both French and English, but those of us in the US who speak French don't get…

Take it from this Old School Punk: Punk was never about being badass. It was always about challenging authority, and we punks can still do that well into middle age and beyond - and with kids in tow.