The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a port of The Astronauts’ open world murder mystery game for the PC.
The game, which was originally created with Unreal Engine 3, has recently been updated with Unreal Engine 4, much like the former PlayStation Plus freebie Ether One was a few months ago.
You’ll take on the role of paranormal detective Paul Prospero to go through the adventure. The inspector receives a fan letter from a young boy named Ethan Carter in the 1970s. This letter has an enormous impact on the private eye, prompting him to travel to the child’s hometown in Pennsylvania.
When our hapless detective arrives, he discovers that, while once a thriving mining town, a collapse of tunnels has stymied the area’s economy, resulting in its (almost) total abandonment. While attempting to learn more about his surroundings, it is up to Prospero – and, by extension, you – to figure out what happened to poor Master Carter.
Caution is advised, however, because not everything is as it appears.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter was already a fantastic game when it was published on PC in late 2014, and the PS4 version succeeds in repurposing it for a new audience.
While the game’s revamp in Unreal Engine 4 hasn’t resulted in many significant modifications, it still runs well despite occasional framerate issues. However, for the most part, this game provides an engaging and thought-provoking detective experience that – to use the game’s own words – “doesn’t hold your hand.”
