Essentially, I'm sick of games (esp remakes) taking the path of least resistance in opting, by default, for a photoreal art style.

This looks absolutely stellar. Love the art!

The children, they yearn for the cathode tube.

I've already put a stupid amount of time into this game. Looks like I'll be doing it all over again.

I never expected to explore the martyrdom and self-sacrifice that cocooned Soviet Socialist Poland in a horror game, but here we are. Good themes, effectively woven.

For the record - it's fine. The game is fine. Standard, inoffensive over the shoulder action horror gameplay. Bloober setting the game in their own neck of the woods however, that's the master stroke.

What I'm saying is First Light is to Everything or Nothing, what Smuggler's Run 2 was to Stuntman: Ignition. That should clear everything up for everybody, ok?

New design criteria mandate: Did the artist have a bit of a laugh? ✅️

I understand those are two separate points, but they both feed into modern AAA being largely shite.