I'm a simple man. I see a cover for a game that looks like it's a mystery thriller, in any other form that is not point and click, and i play it!
I'm sorry to PAC fans; they're just not for me!
I'll be playing you the cutscenes the game has and, in-between those, i'll narrate what happens, as the main character.
Hidden Text
I'll use this hidden text tag to accomplish two things:
1 - To make personal comments on the game; you don't have to read these, if you just want to experience the game and not listen to what i have to say about it.
2 - To write down the exact wording of important notes we find in the game. You don't have to read these, because i'll write a brief summary of what the notes say before the hidden tag, but you should read them if you want to read the notes, word-by-word, just as you would if you were playing the game.
And i'll use these quotes for comments as well!
P.S. - These posts are better read on Peakd, as Ecency doesn't support the "Hidden Text" tag, which really is optional text to read through and on Ecency it will not be hidden!
This is a 5-6 hour game and i tried to interact and read everything available ingame. I'll leave in all the important lore for the main story and most important secondary characters, but i will leave out little subtleties and characters that don't influence the story so much.
This way i can condense the gameplay to the lowest read-time possible, while still giving a complete understanding of the entire game's main story.
Without knowing anything else about the game, let's dive in!
Finished with vacuuming, there's just a few things to clean and tidy-up.
Outside, the snowstorm is getting worse. So bad, in fact, that the music playing on the radio is occasionally interrupted with static. Eventually, the radio plays only static so i had to turn it off.
Nobody's in the room i'm cleaning and i cannot resist and take a look at some of the personal items of this room's guest.
On one of the beds, three teddy bears are sitting neatly against the bed's pillow. All of them have burn marks on them. They look like they should be in the trash in this state, but apparently they're still important to someone.
On the bedside table sits a sheet of paper - an Acknowledgment of Debt in the value of $1500. Near an open suitcase, which contains only men's wear, there is another sheet of paper, relating to a different debt of $8300. And i fend yet another, near the garbage can, in the value of $1900.
This is a lot of debt from an unusual number of different sources. Just, what did you get yourself involved in?
I just can't help snooping around and looking into our guests' lives, and this one is certainly intriguing! He even brought his own mug to a hotel! We have mugs in the hotel...Granted, this is a homemade mug, with the word "Best Dad" written in paint, apparently drawn by a child.
While the debts are intriguing, i still have a job to do so i head into the bathroom to see if there's any cleaning to do.
All done. Nothing else of interest. Room 504 is now clean. I can now head down to the breakroom for a quick break.
My Thoughts on Room 504
The towel on the mirror of bathroom and the ash stains on the floor and in the tub are suspicious. Could this person have accidentally set fire to the teddy bears, and in panic dropped the ashtray, running for the tub, to put out the fire?
That would explain the burnt teddy bears and the ash stains in the tub, but it doesn't explain the towel on the bathroom mirror.
Looking around, there's no evidence of children's clothes in the room. Only one suitcase, carrying only men's clothes. Plus, the bed with the teddy bears has not been slept it. Why would this man, travelling alone, carry around three teddy bears and a handmade mug, if not for sentimental reasons?
What I think this room paints a picture of is the tragic story of a father carrying around mementos of his daughter, who tragically died in a house fire.
That could explain the burnt teddy bears.
Regarding the ash on the floor near the bed, he could have just accidentally dropped the ashtray and didn't bother to pick it up.
And all the debt? They could be from loans he made so he could rebuild his life.
The towel covering the mirror might have been that this father did not want to look at himself in the mirror, out of guilt.
The stains in the tub? They could just be...stains!
About Wendy and Jacques
In the cutscene, we hear Jacques, the hotel's bellboy, and his bride-to-be Wendy, the hotel's restaurants' waitress, fighting behind closed doors. This fight was brought on by Linda, the hotel's governess and a bitter old hag. Linda got into Jacques head and convinced him that Wendy was flirting with some guests.
Linda dislikes Wendy's kind personality and mistakes it as flirting with the guests and as an act that Wendy uses to get more tips from the hotel's guests. Thinking this, Linda has been telling everyone, including Jacques, not to trust Wendy.
What we hear in the cutscene is Jacques doubting Wendy, and his love for her, because of what Linda thinks is the truth.
I swear, sometimes i think the Clarington is haunted. What was that loud bang i heard just before entering the elevator? It sounded like someone shutting a door, but with more force than i've ever heard a person use before. I looked around, but there was no one to be seen. Am i just imagining things?
NEWSPAPER
Throughout the Clarington hotel, a newspaper with the day's headlines can be found and read.
Some stories are related to the hotel and all of them keep coming up in conversations between the hotel staff. I'll quickly resume them in the bullet points bellow:
A raid to a known LGBTQ bar, where the patrons of the bar are called "sex deviantes". In the article, a random commenter says they are not happy, in general, about the existence of these people and these types of bars, and, more importantly, they're worried that some of these bar-goers are teachers, city employees and one court official.
A major snowstorm, signaling 15 inches of snow to fall in a single day.
A story about how shop and business owners are against the construction of a mental hospital in the vicinity of their establishments. Throughout the game many people outright insult people in mental hospitals.
A sensationalist article called "Another Bloody Valentine" about a murder happening on valentine's day.
Even if it's only a few minutes out of my day, my chats with Beth are always a highlight. I don't think i've met someone who can make conversations seem so effortlessly. Beth has a witty response for everything.
It's too bad maids aren't usually allowed in the lobby - chatting with her everyday would be a great way to start my morning.
Linda's been putting these pamphlets everywhere, lately. It's weird that Bernard allows it.
Ok, let's get that mop from the supply closet.
Linda showed her true manipulative colors while speaking ill of Wendy, to Bernard. And what a hypocrite she is; On one hand she's been accusing Wendy of flirting with everyone, then she goes on to offer a massage to her boss.
I was interrupted by Andrew, the hotel's concierge and receptionist, and we had a small chat before parting ways. I was only able to hear something to do with Raymond.
Raymond is Bernard's brother. Before Bernard, Raymond was the hotel's manager. I don't know what happened to Raymond and how Bernard became the manager, however.
Walking away from that awkward moment between Bernard and Linda, i made my way to the supply closet and, with a mop in hand i head back out to the lobby to clean the mess our clumsy guest caused.
Beth
Beth's hilarious! God...G-O-D! Haha!
With the lobby all cleaned up, i'll head back to the 5th floor and, on my way, drop off Mr. Spade's film roll. We usually keep lost items at the front desk but bringing it back myself would only take a few minutes out of my day...and might put me a few steps closer to Employer of the Month!
I wonder, though, why was he in such a hurry to leave, that he knocked over the vase in the lobby and didn't even stop to pick it up or apologize.
Employer of the Month
This is what some maids aspire to because, along with the title, they also receive a prize; usually an appliance, courtesy of a partnership between Weston's Department Store and the Clarington hotel.
We can find a picture around the hotel of the previous month's winner, Wendy.
And look at how Linda (on the right) looks so pissed off at Wendy.
Was it me, or was Andrew flirting with me? I have never thought about him that way, but then again, i don't run into him often, let alone take the time to chat.
Anyway, from the sounds of it, the VIP guest on the 6th floor has Andrew busy with all kinds of strange requests - i'm dying to know who he is, though!
Andrew can sure keep a secret!
Room 505 greeted me with a sight i never could have seen coming: a makeshift darkroom filled with pictures of...me..snooping through a guest's items; my heart has never beat so quickly.
My Decision Not To Clean The Room
I decided not to clean the room to not raise any suspicions of someone having been in the room.
Beth tells me i should look in the safe, so i'll start snooping around the room for the combination.
How odd though, that the door was open and the "Do Not Disturb" sign is on the floor, inside the room.
Did Mr. Spade intend for me to find his darkroom?
Also inside the room, are the keys to the room.
Next to the keys is a note that read "Do not forget to buy more film."
The more i look around, the more i find out about Mr. Spade; there's a ton of film rolls lying around the room, a bird encyclopedia, an English/French dictionary, a pair of binoculars and a picture of Mr. Spade and an army buddy (which reads "99th Infantry Division") on the back.
I also find an eviction note from Mr. Spade's apartments' landlord, a pawn shop receipt for a WW2 victory medal and a job rejection letter. The rejection states "how unfortunate it is that [Mr. Spade] had to spent so much time in the hospital but nevertheless, he is not qualified for the job" and "even if you were qualified for the job, other employees would not feel safe around you, due to your condition".
What condition could be afflicting Mr. Spade? I find prescriptions drugs and a sticky note that reads "don't forget to take pills", but i don't know what the pills are for.
As i snoop further into the room, i begin to doubt if Mr. Spade is just taking pictures of me.
It appears that Mr. Spade has been stalking me. Even outside work!
But why?
On the desk, below the yarn wall, there's a bunch of envelopes, stamped "return to sender" and addressed to someone named Lindsey. The sender reads Paul Morgan. Could Paul Morgan be Mr. Spade's real name? If so, why did he use of a pseudonym to check into the hotel?
I find a letter on the desk, addressed to Mr. Morgan, in which the family of Lindsey urges him to "stop writing to this address!". The letter states that "Lindsey has died two years ago". At the end of the letter Lindsey's mother pleads Mr. Spade to be left alone, so she can grief in peace.
Other items found around the room includes a crudely hand drawn map of the hotel's 5th floor, in which i work on and Mr. Morgan is staying, and he's also written down my work schedule.
There's also a room change request form, sent from the hotel's management, regretting the inability to transfer Mr. Morgan from room 505 to 507. The reason being that "room 507 being currently occupied by an extended-stay guest".
Why would Mr. Morgan want to transfer rooms?
There's a locked briefcase on the foot of the bed which grabs my attention. I find the key sitting atop the TV and i take a look at what's inside.
Inside the suitcase i find hints to what Mr. Morgan safe's combination is and, after rummaging through the miscellaneous papers spread around his room, i figure out the combination and open the safe.
It looks like Mr. Morgan's stalking doesn't end with me: he's also following two of the hotel's guests, "M & H".
I can't believe i'm saying this but i'm grateful he "only" took pictures of me!
I need to find out who "M. & H." are, and what we have in common; maybe that will tell me why i'm caught up in all of this.
Hopefully Beth can help.
I now have a possible match for "M & H": Hector and Marcela Cruz, a married couple in room 509. I bet a quick look around their room will reveal something, but i'll need my keys, which i probably left in the breakroom down in the basement...classic Sophie!
Arriving at the basement i find that the breakroom's door is locked. I can't get to my master key just yet, so i'll use Linda's master key, and open room 509.
While down here, i do a little more snooping around. Maybe some of my colleagues are holding information about Mr. Morgan or Hector and Marcela Cruz.
Most lockers in the hall are locked but i finally find an unlocked locker; Eugene's.
Eugene is in charge of the hotel's maintenance. Pretty much everybody likes him; he's friendly, hard-working, and does his job well. Anytime i've needed help, he's happy to lend a hand. Since the hotel's renovations started his usual good mood has lost some of it's spark...I can see that Bernard's lofty expectations are weighing on him - i just hope he doesn't burn out. He doesn't deserve that.
Inside his locker i find a note from Rebecca telling Eugene that "half the washing machines are out of order", asking him to fix them before Bernard finds out.
Nothing about Mr. Morgan though.
There are more lockers in the lockers room, and that's where Linda's master key is, so i'll pick up the key before i continue the "locker search".
Who could be behind the writing on Linda's door? And could "B." be Bernard? They seem to have an already "close" relationship - i did hear Linda giving Bernard a massage earlier, after all.
I don't know what is going on with Bernard and Linda, but more importantly, i need to check more lockers and see if i find anything related to Mr. Morgan.
Most lockers have nothing of importance, really. "Happy Birthday" wishes, gossip, "welcome to the hotel" kind of thing. One of them has a pamphlet which looked threatening at first.
It is a homophobic propaganda pamphlet, that could unsettle anyone, like the mother of a 5 year old boy who saw the pamphlet and sent a letter to her sister, confiding that "she's scared for her son's future", because "he likes to play with dolls and may be one of them".
FULL LETTER
Dear sister,
We need to talk about Kevin. The other day, Patrick received some pamphlets from a friend from the States, and now he is convinced that our child is a...sissy. HOW is that even possible? The boy is only five years old! Does it really matter if he likes to play with girls and prefers dolls to toy cars?
Still, I cannot help but think... If Patrick is right, if Kevin indeed is... like that... What kind of future awaits him? Will he ever be able to get a job, to have a family, to live a normal life? Every time I look at him now, I feel like crying. I want my little boy to be happy. Is that too much to ask?
Nicole
After trying a few more lockers, i come upon Wendy's locker.
I decide to leave the things in the locker. I shouldn't be snooping around other people's lockers in the first place. Plus, who knows what Wendy is thinking.
A quick unsuccessfully search through the remaining lockers, and i leave the lockers room to make my way up to room 509.
As i walk by a bathroom's door, i hear crying coming from within.
I feel for Wendy. Hopefully she knows she's not alone if she needs to talk. I let Wendy have her space, i head back to the elevator, when i run into Beth.
Beth and I both agree that the graffitti left on Linda's door - "hypocrite bitch", was most likely Wendy's doing. I hate to say it, but Linda's given her enough cause, after all.
Back on the 5th floor, on the way to room 509, i notice that room 506 is still on my daily list, so i'll quickly clean 506 so i can scratch if off my list. The last thing i need is Bernard on my back.
506 was a party room; someone had a good valentine's day! Both 507 and 508 rooms have the "Do Not Disturb Sign" hanging on the door. That means i'm done with cleaning for now, giving me plenty of time to snoop around 509.
Room 509 is one of our suits, and Marcela and Hector Cruz have certainly made it feel quite lived in. There's a lot to go through, so i'd better get started. The answers i'm looking for might not be readily apparent, but, when in doubt: clean. I'm sure something will come up.
Snooping around the room i find pamphlets and receipts from all the places that Mr. Morgan has on his yarn wall are places the Cruzes have also visited recently. What a coincidence! I'm glad Mr. Morgan wasn't following me. It still doesn't explain the pictures he took of me snooping through guests' items, but i'm a bit more relieved.
On a different note, i start finding hints that the couple hasn't exactly been enjoying the Valentine Day's mood. One of the Cruzes has been sleeping on the couch. On a desk, a piece of paper that simply reads "I'm sorry. Please forgive me." - one of the Cruzes clearly wronged the other. I also find a sheet of paper with several failed attempts at writing renewal vows.
Failed Vows
I still love you as much as i did on the day i met you. I will always remember the first time i saw you in that beautiful blue red dress on the
It seems like only yesterday when i first
10 years ago i promised i would always love you and
Today i vow pledge again what i pledged 10 years ago
Everything changed the day you came into my life. I hope it will change again when a new member enters our fam
I hope we can soon expand our family with a
You know how important family is to me
And a letter from Mr. Cruz's mother, expressing her disbelief about the decision of her son renewing his vows so far away from his family, and blaming the idea of doing so in Montereal on Marcela.
Note From Mother
Dear Son,
I cannot believe you decided to renew your vows so far away from the family. Your father and I are very disappointed, and so are your sisters. Montreal... What a strange destination. I would not be surprised if this was another one Of your wife's ideas.
I met Luciana in town yesterday. She has five children (three boys, two girls) and is pregnant with her sixth. Juan has just bought them that nice house on the corner of Prado and Ramos. Imagine if you had married her like you were supposed to. You would have your own family by now.
Yesterday I also drove by your home to get the mail. As I was leaving, I met a man who was looking for you. I think he is one of your colleagues from work, bid I am not sure. I told him you were in Montreal and would be back next week.
When do you come back, exactly? I hope you can be there for your uncle's birthday party on Friday. I make your favorite
cake.
Your Mother
It seems like something is affecting their marriage.
What i don't see, however, are any clues that point in my direction; i'll continue cleaning the room. Perhaps i can find something buried deep under the untidy room, which would point towards me or at least towards Mr. Morgan.
Lo and behold, with a little bit more of cleaning up, i stumble upon something that is...at least...curious. At the bottom of a garbage can i find a note, ripped to bits and apparently hidden below the rest of the trash.
The idea of Marcela Cruz following Mr. Morgan is intriguing, to say the least. Could it just be a coincidence that they both left within a few minutes of each other?
What's more troubling, however, is that the unidentified caller that called the room, called from within the hotel and apparently knows i am in room 509.
Nevertheless, i continue snooping around and i spot a picture on the floor, next to the sofa-turned-bed; a picture of Hector and Marcela Cruz on their wedding day. It's obvious Hector has been looking at it more recently.
In this picture Marcela is wearing the most dazzling pearl necklace. And she looks gorgeous with it. Although, i bet she can make anything look good!
I snoop around the bedroom which, apparently, is only used by Marcela, now that her husband has been sleeping on the couch.
Snooping around the bedroom i find Marcela's bank statement, hiding inside her jewelry box. It shows her latest withdrawals and deposits. For the last past 3 months, Marcela's been making withdrawals of substantial amounts of money to the point where her bank account is now empty.
Strangely though, the sheet of paper is adorned with hearts and stars that don't make me think that this was done in bad faith.
The statement also has some strange symbols, and some numbers, under some of the letters.
Come to think of it, a few other sheets of paper also have associations between letters, and between numbers and letters.
What could they mean?
On the bedside table, I find a novel which catches my attention; the book's cover depicts a woman touching a cracked mirror and a silhouette of a mysterious figure behind. The book's tagline reads "She thought she was tracking a killer...But the killer was tracking her".
Eerily familiar with what's happening; Mr. Morgan's spying of Marcela and Hector, and then with what happened today, when the roles reversed and Marcela left the hotel in a hurry, right after Mr. Morgan, as if she was following him.
Am i just imagining things?
I check the room's garbage can for any remaining pieces of the torn message i found earlier.
I've found some kind of code, using the strange symbols which i've seen written on several pieces of paper. It seems like i can solve this code by associating symbols and numbers with letter.
Whichever of the Cruzes is keeping secrets from each other, i'm going to see if i can figure out which vent they are talking about. Maybe i can find the notes, and figure out if and which one of the Cruzes is having the affair.
I'd still like to see what's in the typewriter case, but i haven't seen any signs on how to open it.
The message said: "I will leave notes in the vent next to your room". This mean the vent should be out in the hallway.
What secret will we uncover in this vent?
Continue reading part two, here.