Tasks almost always involve finding a proverbial or literal key to open a proverbial or literal door. Whispering Willows' adherence to the basic adventure game blueprint is so faithful that it lacks any sense of ingenuity. It's her means of speaking to the estate's ghosts who remain in limbo and an opportunity for her to learn about the nation who first settled on the land, the Kwantako tribe. As she is a protagonist of Native American descent, this ability adds mild depth to the narrative and gameplay. A vent in Whispering Willows almost always leads to a key item or a switch that only the ghostly version of Elena can access. The practicality of this transformation is akin to Dracula turning into a rat who can travel through ventilation ducts in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2. It wouldn’t be a proper horror game without catacombs.Įlena alters herself into an apparition with the aid of a spiritually loaded tear-shaped amulet. As a teenager with metaphysical powers and few friends, Elena is relatable to Maxine Caulfield from Life is Strange. Yet as each ghost departs its state of purgatory, she suffers the loss of each brief friendship. Every soul Elena successfully assists gives her immense solace. And yes, some of them don't know that they're dead. Like some of the ghosts in The Sixth Sense, Elena's spectral aides are in desperate need of closure. Clearly an adolescent with a good heart, Elena's amiable interactions with many of the local spirits please her immensely, especially since they're helpful companions on this dark and grim journey. She simply wants to find her missing father, who is employed as a caretaker on the estate. She is not a classic heroine, pre-destined for great things or exuding a profound sense of self. Protagonist Elena Elkhorn isn't above admiring the opulence of the Willows Estate, the game's setting. This is a minimal detriment to the game overall, which is well-supported with touching themes of regret, lost love, and one's spiritual connection to nature. This adequately serves both the narrative and the gameplay, the latter comprising some of the most simplistic and easy exploration puzzles in recent memory. It twists the haunted house investigation premise by giving its heroine ghost transformational powers. Whispering Willows is an adventure in archaeology with a supernatural perk: it lets you speak to the dead people who once owned the artifacts you discover.
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