Review: Bear With Me Episode 3
- Platforms: PC (Reviewed)
- Developer: Exordium Games
- Publisher: Exordium Games
- Release Date: October 5th, 2017
The third and final episode of Exordium Games’ point-and-click crime drama has finally arrived, with 10 year old Amber finally getting closure on the mystery of the Red Man and her brother’s disappearance. Bear With Me Episode 3 delivers a satisfying ending to the series in a way that will certainly tug at your heartstrings.
Bear With Me Episode 3 picks up right where Episode 2 left off, with Amber and Ted going their separate ways. Amber, determined to get to the bottom of the Red Man mystery, ventures forward on her own, while Ted attempts to drown his sorrows in carrot juice at the local dive bar. After a quick pep talk from the bartender and a fellow customer, Ted regrets his decision of abandoning Amber and decides to track her down and reunite.
Unlike the other two episodes, this episode switches between Amber and Ted frequently, as opposed to controlling them both at the same time. A good portion of the episode is playing out a scene as Amber, and then retracing those same footsteps with Ted shortly after. Apart from splitting up Amber and Ted, Bear With Me Episode 3 doesn’t really introduce anything new in terms of features or mechanics.
The majority of the gameplay experience in Bear With Me Episode 3 is dialogue, as there’s a lot of loose ends to tidy up and information to take in. There are fewer puzzles compared to the previous two episodes, however the few puzzles that are included in the third episode are some brain busters. Having played the previous two episodes, the game has likely prepared you enough that you shouldn’t get too frustrated with the puzzles of Episode 3, but be forewarned that you’ll need to bring your A game. The episode’s length is pretty comparable to the two previous episodes, clocking in between 2-3 hours, depending on how much difficulty the riddles will give you.
One of the real surprises to Bear With Me Episode 3 is the game’s ending. Up until this point the game has been a light-hearted, goofy take on a noir crime mystery through the eyes of a 10 year-old, but there is a major tonal shift in the last half of Episode 3. In many ways the ending of Bear With Me is Amber working out some personal issues, which is quite emotional. The game hits you with a reality check like a punch to the gut, delivering an ending that is definitely unexpected. To avoid spoilers we won’t go any deeper into the game’s ending, but just know that you won’t be disappointed.
Overall the third episode of Bear With Me provides an extremely emotional yet satisfying conclusion to the point-and-click noir mystery. Although it is very dialogue heavy with fewer puzzles and player involvement compared to the previous two episodes, Bear With Me Episode Three is hands-down the best of the series.
A Steam review code for Bear With Me Episode 3 was provided by Exordium Games
