This ran up against a major challenge for me immediately: while I can see the appeal of generalization of a person into solely their role, especially in a more practical minded group like an expedition, where it isn’t expected that everyone would know each other well, if at all- it makes it far more difficult for me to really care about the cast. I love names, the intimacy of nicknames- and while the distance in using a last name can lead to some interesting development when or if there is ever a switch over to a more immediate term of address, somehow, it isn’t as engaging for me when referring to someone by their profession.
This is sort of slightly an imposition, when the story revolves largely about the people within it- and especially when you’re asked to make big choices of trust- which involves at least a little bit of liking them. This isn’t really a slight on the author, though- it was equally ineffective for me when used in Annihilation, and while I adored the first book, I didn’t think very much of those later in the series. Less of a reflection of any skill, and more so just personal preference- I get into stories almost entirely for their narratives, their character dynamics: the human aspect to works is what interests me, and stripping them of their names kind of flattens it for me.
I also don’t like particularly bloated casts- especially when introduced in a rapid fire fashion. This is extra understandable, given this was a work quickly assembled: and yes, it is realistic, to have more people than not to cover all of the various professions that would be present. I had a similar quibble with Winter-Over, which was the second highest rated game on my IFComp Ballot, and who I would have been thrilled to see win, so it’s again: nothing against the author, and more of a personal quirk. It also does make sense given a whole whack load of people have to die for the story to work- but I feel like their deaths would have been more meaningful if the cast was perhaps smaller, and they had a bit more time to develop a relationship beyond a scene or so of chatting after hours.
That being said, I did still enjoy the time I spent reading the story- and especially when viewed as a fangame, or inspired by, Annihilation, I can easily see a receptive audience for it. The actual prose is at times, also quite pretty- the rustling of trees, the calling of gulls: and it was smooth reading. Despite my personal quibbling, I did like this game, and could see myself suggesting it to some friends who I think would have a deeper appreciation for it.
I wound up trusting the archaelogist first, and then the botanist, and successfully getting off of the island with a group of four (the botanist, the archaeologist, the navigator, and us) which feels like a pretty decent team for getting off of hell island in one piece. I mean, the navigator’s alive, for one! The cook was just too suspicious in taking things lightly, and it made sense to follow the archaeologist’s initial authority- so yippee for coming out of it alive.