Erica

This is the new way to play interactive games and we need more of this out there. So much better than that lame and weak bandersnatch episode too.

Once upon a time I tried to play (watch) the game "Late Shift". It was terrible, I really didn't like it.

When I started playing Erica, I was counting on the worst. But the game turned out to be not so bad. Nice actors, little interest in the story.

'Erica (2019)' is an interactive live-action game, essentially a movie in which you control the narrative (or, at least, aspects of it). Using a mobile app, the piece allows you to interact with key story moments and make decisions on behalf of the protagonist, as well as perform smaller actions such as clearing mist off a window or flipping open a lighter. The choices are integrated in a relatively seamless way and the control scheme works surprisingly well, seeming intuitive in all but a handful of scenes. The plot revolves around a young woman who receives a gruesome package in the mail and is sent to her father's old place-of-work as a form of protective custody. Of course, strange things soon start happening and it's up to you to decide how you want to interpret them. The game is ambiguous throughout, with its choices mainly being based around who you trust and what you want to believe. There are no 'right' answers. This is rather refreshing, even if it makes for an intermittently confusing experience. The writing isn't phenomenal but it isn't weak, either. Once you buy into the central situation, it's easy to get caught up in it. The game will take you around 1 hour 45 minutes to finish, about the length of a regular movie. If you're so inclined, you can replay it as many times as needed to see every ending (I believe there are seven in total). You can't turn it off mid-game, though, so each playthrough must be done in a single sitting. To be honest, this is somewhat off-putting. It does seem like there are a variety of diverging paths that may be worth exploring, but I personally didn't replay the piece once I'd finished it. It's one that I might come back to in the future, however. In the end, the thing does a good job at being a movie/game hybrid and is intuitive to play. Perhaps this is a genre that will soon pick up steam. 7/10

Erica is absolutely a passing project on the PS4. An interactive film in which there is no strong main plot, weak acting and a minimal amount of interactivity as such. There are 5 endings in the game, only the first 3 are of interest. The main 2 is "player torture" to receive a platinum trophy. Why did I not understand such terrible control, playing from a smartphone is uncomfortable. There are of course pleasant things in Erica - a great picture, good camera work, but there is nothing else here. Erica is positioned as a thriller, but in 2 hours of the film there is not one tense moment.

Awesome game interactions and enjoyable characters.