Some flaws...

[graykin]

I was discussing the swanson/frisk flaws with a friend just before reading this, what a coincidence. And i've got to say they're either lazyness from the devs' part or just design flaws.
The swanson "infected" illusion: i dont know about you but the blood, the slashing and the "death is the final unknown" looked VERY real to me. sorry, but at least coming up with some sort of explaination like she really WAS infected or had gone crazy would have been a better than just leave the player with an actual battle scene when swanson wasnt even hostile in the first place. Or maybe like that other guy said, that she had gone crazy without me knowing and clarence took advantage of that and disguised her as an infected. Even so it's way too cryptic and a good way of making me hate a nice game like this.

Same with the Frisk part, is he supposed to be some sort of ghost that moves at light speed? anyone in their right mind would be having lights on in that corridor to see that there was actually nothing there to hurt them and i sure as hell scratched my head wondering how thin air could damage me like that, and didnt find out how to proceed before reading a walkthrough. It's just another place that could have been better explained by adding some sort of visual encounter other than "you die if you stand in the black zone lol"

really, i dont mean to sound like a spoilt little snob but obvious stuff like this really ruins my experience.

I do kinda agree with what you said about the Kennel section. I did like the concept of being attacked and killed in the darkness without actually being able to see Frisk himself, but I also agree that the "lightspeed" death probably could've been improved upon. A possible solution for this might've been to trigger a scripted sequence, which involved Philip stopping and looking around, after hearing some scratching noises and a growl, and then the camera shaking and falling as the sound effects imply that something just lunged and roared at you from behind, knocking you down. I don't know if this kind of controlled situation would've been the best solution either, but it's a tiny bit more plausible. Guess it depends how exactly it would've been implemented.

I did think there were a few...laxities with the concept of Amabel "attacking" you...maybe a slightly more sophisticated AI that involved the Tuurngait NOT just walking towards you and trying to "hug" you. For example, if you were to pick up a box and chuck it at Amabel, it would've been nice to have the Tuurngait possibly stop, growl something at you, and hesitantly approach again. Pretty much make it SEEM like the Tuurngait was readying himself for another chance at attacking you (like he's giving you the stare-down before he goes in for the kill), while really, we can rationalize it LATER that it was probably Amabel trying to cautiously restrain you, seeing as how you are overwhelmed with fear at seeing her, and she would probably be trying to show you that she meant you no harm.

I mean...why an "illusion" would be able to kill you doesn't make a whole lot of sense either...but if the game designers didn't make you THINK you were being truly attacked (and incorporate the risk of failure--death), then the shock of--"SURPRISE! IT'S AMABEL!"--probably wouldn't have been as profound.