1954: Alcatraz

The main pros of the game

• Engaging Story and Atmosphere: Many users praised the game's narrative, describing it as gripping and reminiscent of classic prison break films. The historical setting of 1950s San Francisco adds depth to the experience.
• Good Writing and Voice Acting: The writing quality and voice performances were highlighted positively, contributing to the immersive storytelling.
• Point-and-Click Mechanics: Players enjoyed the point-and-click gameplay style, with some noting the absence of illogical puzzles, making it straightforward and accessible.
• Character Switching: The ability to switch between two protagonists (Joe and Christine) was seen as a positive feature, allowing for varied gameplay and decision-making.
• Visual Style: While opinions varied, some appreciated the game's art style and 3D graphics, noting they fit well with the game's theme.

The main cons of the game

• Frequent Softlocks and Bugs: A significant number of reviews mentioned the game’s tendency to softlock, preventing players from progressing due to bugs in the gameplay, which led to frustration and repetitive play.
• Poor User Interface (UI): The UI was frequently criticized for being clunky and unintuitive, causing freezes and making it difficult to save or access the inventory.
• Lack of Key Mapping: Users expressed dissatisfaction with the absence of customizable key mapping, which led to accidental loss of progress.
• Short Gameplay Length: Some players felt the game was too short, typically lasting around 2-4 hours, which may not justify the price for some.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

• Fixes for Bugs: Reviewers expressed disappointment at the lack of updates or patches from the developers to fix known issues, particularly the softlocks and achievement bugs.
• More Complex Puzzles: Some players desired more challenging puzzles, feeling that the existing ones were not sufficiently engaging.
• Skip Dialogue Options: The inability to skip certain dialogues quickly was noted as a frustrating aspect, especially when replaying sections.
• Confirmation Prompts: Players wanted confirmation prompts for actions like loading previous saves to prevent accidental loss of progress.

Summary

• Overall, while "1954: Alcatraz" has elements that many players appreciated, significant technical issues and gameplay flaws detracted from the overall experience, leading to mixed reviews.

Summary generated on: October 29, 2025