IMMORTALITY Critic Reviews

For all the delicious brain food it serves up, this astonishing game - a new high bar for creator and genre - never stops reminding you of the human beings at the heart of the moviemaking process, and the very real cost of their art.

Even days after seeing the credits roll, I can’t quit IMMORTALITY. I want to understand more, dig deeper, and find more clips. There’s so much to see here and so many mysteries hidden inside this game, seemingly just one moment of intuition away. I enjoyed Sam Barlow’s past work, particularly Her Story, but I was unprepared for the depth of feeling I found within IMMORTALITY. What he and his team have created is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Immortality is Sam Barlow’s magnum opus and the best FMV game ever made. Manon Gage is a riotous force of an actor, accompanied by just as capable a cast, all capable of blowing up. Deep and rewarding investigation mechanics mean you too are rewarded by more of these very performances. Forty years ago at the genre’s start, ideas this broad, sweeping and memorable were inconceivable. Now they’ve arrived, serving as the mastering of technology, writing and acting, all wrapped up in a momentous and moving package. Immortality is a game-changer, utterly needing to forever be immortalised in gaming and art history.

Immortality is a story of a girl who became a tour de force of a woman. Throughout all the submissive moments where she stood at the mercy of lovers and filmmakers, she became stronger than anyone could have expected. The acting by everyone involved is sublime, and the way everything connects is masterful. Her Story was great, but this is on another level. I was captivated from the beginning, and left with my jaw on the floor by the end. There’re are secrets everywhere, and if you’re willing to spend time finding them, the rewards come in abundance.

Immortality is a game that will haunt you. Its sinister atmosphere is exceptionally powerful. Its layered narrative about art and artists will leave you with more thoughts, ideas, and questions than answers. It will have you clambering for someone to seek solace with afterwards. It may very well see you diving back in, hunting for closure with any clues you may have missed – just a few more hints. Something, anything. Immortality is a remarkable piece of work, and an outstanding example of the potency interactive storytelling can have.

Somehow, Immortality does the impossible. From its extraordinary cast to the tremendous writing and elegant systems that enable us to interact with every frame of this stunning creation, it really couldn’t have been executed any better. Go in unspoiled, let the interactive story sweep you away, and enjoy all the twists and turns of this masterfully designed game.

When I began this review, I wondered if Immortality would live up to the hype I had created in my mind. Luckily, it did. The characters, the narrative, and the completely unique experience that it odders… this game is special. Visual. Intuitive. Genius. Half Mermaid (and Barlow in particular) has upped its own ante, and I legitimately have no idea what the studio could do next. This studio is one of the rare true artists in our little industry.

A true achievement in game design and interactive fiction, Immortality is a gorgeous and haunting magic trick that sets a new standard for the medium.

I have never seen – or played – anything like it. It’s not a game that everyone will love, but I do think it’s one that everyone should play.

Immortality is a masterpiece capable of involving and upsetting the player in more than one moment. It is a strong video game, full of surprises and interesting themes, capable of overturning at the right moment to drag you into a successful positive spiral of research and discovery, which brings the brain and emotions into play. It is also one of the works that best manages to play with the filmed sequences, transforming the player into an editor / investigator through a simple and natural interface, very comfortable both using a mouse and keyboard, and with a controller. The conclusion is: what are you still doing here?

Immortality is Sam Barlow’s best, most thought-provoking game yet, and a barnstorming debut for Half Mermaid.

Immortality is Sam Barlow's most ambitious project. It presents an engrossing narrative, with numerous moments that will amaze you as you discover them. The only downside is that you can end up with repetitive scenes without knowing what to do next.

I think it’s no exaggeration to say that Immortality is often brilliant. The acting, writing, editing and videography are meticulously intentional and if the path through the woods isn’t always clear, the trees are unfailingly interesting to study. While it isn’t perfect, I’m glad that games like Immortality exist. There are so many games that are sequels, copycats, reboots, remakes and retreads that you forget what originality actually looks like. All of Barlow’s games have been excellent but Immortality is probably the richest and most thought-provoking of the three.

As a game, Immortality is tailor-made for those who like to call movies "films" because it makes them feel superior. Those who exit the theatre and step into the bright light of the halls, instantly initiating a one-sided discussion of how they expected more from that actor given his pedigree, failing to notice crusty popcorn stuck to the back of their trousers. It's for the know-it-alls that realise, diving into these three lost films from Marissa Marcel, they might not know that much about cinema after all.

Sam Barlow builds a fascinating puzzle mixing game design and cinema by weaving a unique, complex storytelling that deeply explores Marissa Marcel’s life. A mind blowing experience.

An intense and raw experience, Immortality marks an excellent return to the scene for Sam Barlow, in an adventure to be lived strictly with headphones and controllers. Preferably during a rainy night, in a dimly lit room.

If you like narrative-based games and, in particular, Sam Barlow’s previous projects, don’t miss it.

Immortality is an impressively layered work, filled with conflicted thoughts on the concept of the auteur, the collaborative process of art, and the prospect of going too deep in the service of expression.

Immortality is extraordinary and insanely polished, but because of its unique nature and not very engaging gameplay not everyone will be taken with it. However, if you want to feel like a detective analyzing David Lynch’s lost movie, you’re in for a treat. I hope this one-of-a-kind experience gets the spotlight it deserves.

IMMORTALITY is a complex and fascinating story that draws inspiration from many different film genres. It’s a fantastic game with a lot to offer, even if the limited influence over the story and the random order in which the game’s events are experienced could reduce the story’s impact.