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The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 • 2014

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Quick resume

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a first-person story-driven mystery. Purchase this game to get both the original and the Unreal Engine 4 remaster called The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Redux.

Global score

88/100

Genres

Adventure, Indie, Puzzle

Similar games

    Pros

    • Stunning photorealistic graphics
    • Immersive atmospheric sound and music
    • Engaging supernatural detective story
    • Freedom to explore large detailed environment
    • Unique puzzle mechanics and narrative style

    Cons

    • Short game length
    • Lack of manual save in original version
    • Minimal gameplay complexity
    • Some players find puzzles or exploration confusing
    • No multiplayer or social features

    Analysis

    A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Survival, Violence, Fellowship, Expression. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Thrill, Exploration, Story.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      4

      "Players have freedom to explore the large open environment non-linearly and solve puzzles in any order without hand-holding or quest markers."

    • Competence
      2

      "Puzzle solving requires attention and logical deduction but is generally not very difficult; gameplay is simple but engaging."

    • Competition
      -5

      "No competitive elements; focus is on personal exploration and narrative experience."

    • Continuation
      1

      "Short game length (3-6 hours) but players often return to enjoy the scenery and atmosphere."

    • Cooperation
      -5

      "Single-player experience with no multiplayer or cooperative gameplay."

    • Creativity
      3

      "Players creatively piece together clues and reconstruct crime scenes; freedom in exploration supports creative problem solving."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No social dominance or power dynamics; experience is solitary and introspective."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Strong immersion in a mysterious, atmospheric world provides escape from reality."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of interest in story, exploration, and atmosphere without external pressure."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Encourages exploration and discovery of clues in any order; players experiment with puzzle solutions."

    • Exploration
      5

      "Core gameplay involves exploring a detailed open environment to discover clues and secrets."

    • Expression
      -3

      "Limited player customization; focus is on experiencing the crafted environment rather than personal expression."

    • Fantasy
      4

      "Supernatural detective story with paranormal elements and Lovecraftian horror influences."

    • Fellowship
      -5

      "No social or community features; solitary single-player experience."

    • Growth
      2

      "Players develop investigative skills and understanding of the story through puzzle solving."

    • Health
      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay without physical activity or health-related mechanics."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention to explore and solve puzzles; not a casual or background game."

    • Intimacy
      -4

      "Minimal social interaction; emotional engagement is with story and atmosphere rather than other players."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or group management elements; single-player narrative."

    • Progression
      3

      "Progression through collecting clues and unlocking story segments; no item upgrades or power accumulation."

    • Relaxation
      4

      "Calm, immersive exploration with atmospheric music provides a relaxing experience."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Visual and auditory stimuli are rich and immersive, enhancing emotional engagement."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social status or recognition mechanics; experience is private and personal."

    • Story
      5

      "Strong narrative focus with mystery, supernatural elements, and a compelling plot."

    • Strategy
      2

      "Puzzle solving involves logical sequencing and deduction but is not highly complex."

    • Thrill
      2

      "Some suspense and eerie moments create mild thrill without intense action or horror."

    • Value
      3

      "Generally considered good value for price given quality of experience, though short length noted."

    • Violence
      -3

      "Minimal violence; focus on investigation rather than combat or destruction."

    • Survival
      -4

      "No survival mechanics; stable environment without threats or resource management."

    Where to buy

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    Last update: 29/04/2026