Small choices make a big difference…

There are two things to talk about with this finale to Stranded 3 – the story itself and the way in which it’s told. The former is on a wider canvas than we’ve had for some time, and John Dorney gives us select moments from the events, culminating in a shock reveal and a cliffhanger that fits with the background of one of the characters rather too well. Spoilers to discuss it further (even this far after release) but the effect of it is rather different from normal because of…

…the way that Dorney elects to tell the story. We basically hear the story in reverse, with each scene prefaced with the length of time that elapsed prior to what we’ve just heard (five minutes, three months etc. earlier) – don’t, by the way, think you can just switch the tracks into the “correct” order and it’ll play the “right” way round… the chapter breaks don’t cooperate with that idea. So right from the start of the story, we know the worst that can happen, we know who the good guys and bad guys are, and we follow them as they get into that position. Sometimes small decisions or offhand self-deprecating comments have the most unforeseen consequences; other times, no matter what is done, things need to play out in a certain way. Dorney also uses the conceit in some fun ways – one character’s identity would feel very different if we got the information at the start rather than the “end” of the tale.

Verdict: A different way of ending a set that’s been unusual in its storytelling throughout. 8/10

Paul Simpson

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