This involved time exploring the yard and a few buildings within, which I enjoyed even though I had to sneak around a wolf or three that were placed directly in my path. My first order of business was to secure some first aid and bring it back to the prison. We get some background on who these prisoners are, what they want, and how we'll handle the bad intentions of terrible men while not falling victim to the brutal wildlife and conditions of Blackrock, the new region introduced for Episode 4.

The story starts to take shape once you're locked in a cell. This isn't a knock on characters from the past what was good is getting even better. I’ve always enjoyed the acting, but the new characters that are introduced all look and sound even better than those in Episode 3. It’s immediately clear through the episode’s initial scenes that this is the best The Long Dark has ever been in terms of visuals and voice acting. In fact, they take you back to a place that they know quite well. You're not in great shape, and the convicts don’t figure to have the best of intentions. When Episode 4 kicks off you (playing as Mackenzie) are being dragged through the snow by a couple of convicts. Mackenzie and Astrid have come a long way over the years, and Episode 4 sets the stage for an exciting conclusion to the story of The Long Dark.

All are present in Episode 4, titled Fury, Then Silence, which does a great job of pushing the game’s Wintermute story mode forward while also adding new gameplay concepts to the already strong foundation. We're treated to new concepts, new story and characters, and often new regions to explore. Each new episode of Wintermute brings progress to The Long Dark.

The long dark sprinting