Erica review – a captivating FMV thriller
Erica is a full-motion video game for PlayStation 4, a surprise drop at Gamescom last week that’s got an uphill battle to get people to care. But you should, because it’s good.
At around 90 minutes in length it’s slight, and it’s very much in the vein of a game like Until Dawn – the kind of experience best played through with other people in the room. Indeed, that feels like part of the design, with decision points flashing up and you (and the people with you) deciding what to do, and which path to take.
Erica reviewDeveloper: FlavourworksPublisher: Sony EuropeAvailability: Released 19th August, only on PS4
It’s less of a traditional game than Until Dawn. There aren’t any time-pressured, button-matching sequences, nor any reflex challenges really. You only ever slide a finger, sometimes two, along the controller’s touchpad, so it’s a very gentle kind of interaction anyone can cope with, whether they’ve picked up a PS4 pad before or not. In fact, the suggested way to play the game is through a companion smartphone app.
The other huge difference is you’re watching filmed actors rather than digitally recreated ones, and the effect is superb – so much so I don’t know why more games don’t do it (although I realise Her Story and Telling Lies do, and they’re both excellent). There’s none of the hokey hamminess you might associate with the first big wave of FMV games in the 90s. Production values here are very high. Scenes are beautifully shot, colours and framing gorgeous, and the acting is strong. Erica in particular – played by Holly Earl – has a captivating vulnerability to her, but across the board there’s understated confidence in the performances and it smacks of quality as a result.
