After a remarkable PC release in February 2020 and a console port (PS4/Xbox One) in September 2020, The Suicide of Rachel Foster continues its merry way arriving on the Nintendo Switch. The opportunity for me to try my hand at this title, which had generated a lot of debate when it was initially released.
At least the caveat is clear from the start.
The Suicide of Rachel Foster is a game developed by One'o'One Games and published by Daedelic Entertainment which takes the form of an investigation game, in the walking simulator movement. We play Nicole Wilson, the daughter of a physicist father who ruined her family's reputation by dating Rachel Foster, a 16-year-old teenager who ended her life. Nicole is forced to return to the hotel managed by her father following his death, to put some order there and organize the sale. By an unfortunate coincidence, a storm prevents our protagonist from leaving the hotel, where she will find herself stranded for several days. Guided by a certain Irving, with whom she is in radio contact, she will stroll around this hotel, which will revive childhood memories, and allow her to learn more about the relationship that united Rachel and her father.
The themes addressed are dark, as indicated by the message that appears at the start of the game, as a prevention. The story lets itself be followed without displeasure... At the beginning, at least. We are dealing with a character with a rather tough character who, for some obscure reason, will transform as we progress. The reading of the work will undoubtedly vary from person to person. On my side, it is essentially disgust that prevails. I sincerely don't think the studio wanted to convey a message like this, but the storytelling is bad and suggests that the feeling of love erases everything that is wrong in this relationship between a troubled teenager and a well-consumed middle-aged teacher. . And it's really unfortunate, because apart from its history and its atmosphere, The Suicide of Rachel Foster doesn't have much going for it.
Graphically, the game took quite a downgrade to run on Switch.
Indeed, we are faced with a walking sim in its most classic form. We wander around the hotel observing a few objects here and there, and accomplishing the few objectives given by the man at the other end of the line... and that's about it. TSRF, it is a failed cross between Firewatch et What Remains of Edith Finch. The dialogues are indeed less good, the attachment to the characters less, and the hotel, despite being successful overall - due to its imposing size and its very "Shining" atmosphere - does not manage to be as remarkable than the Finch house. The investigation on its side will never ask for anything more than getting from point A to point B, then interacting with an object.
Porting on its side is decent, if lazy. Whether in mobile or docked mode, I didn't notice any framerate drops. In order to guarantee this fluidity, however, it was necessary to decide. We therefore have a less refined game and less shadow management compared to the other console and PC versions. The game remains overall playable, even if the sensitivity of the sticks is a bit too low. Small downside: the spatial localization of sounds is simply bad, so much so that I had to shoot for a good 2 minutes before understanding which phone was ringing in the hotel...
The hotel is successful, even if it does not mark the spirit as much as in other games of the same genre
If you are in lack of walking-simulator, The Suicide of Rachel Foster can keep you happy for a few hours (4 maximum), however, don't expect much. The port is dull and certainly does not erase the pitfalls of a story that may shock many players.
