It's bit scary (actually really scary), but it's so nice and wonderful it's a joy to play it.

Playing through it over the past few days. Wonderful game. Not sure I'd call it scary though.

Had bought it some time after release but hadn't played much, starting to get into it and... well, some things bummed me out: level design is labyrinthine, I get lost so easily it's really hard to make any kind progress (still have to find the guard armor parrts so I'm really just starting) and the stealth is slowing starting to make me mad, I'm in a courtyard with 3 rats and I managed to find a prison (no idea if that's the guy I have to find for the counter poison, haven't had the time to talk to him as I had to reload because of the rat on my tail) and I feel utterly powerless...

Not what I had in mind when I got the game to be honest. :/

The rats may look intimidating, but they have the memory of a goldfish. Simply run away around a corner and hop into the first hiding place you see. They'll forget about you after a few seconds. Also, one of the first costume sets that you complete makes you "invisible" to them (albeit while sacrificing speed).

I know what you mean. After six hours in the Dwindling Keep, I still have difficulties getting to certain places, and I keep discovering new rooms and shortcuts. I think the levels are deliberately designed to resemble environments from the Dark Souls games. At least I'm getting the same vibes, and like in Dark Souls, they're also difficult to navigate.

That's a bummer, but that's me tough, I wasn't expecting that.

I'll try again, for sure, but my games will be shorter for it I bet. :(

Is the game as a whole long?

I've played for seven hours now, and there are stil two or three whole maps that I've yet to visit. The quests require constant backtracking and exploration for small objects, that's why I'm taking so long.

I'm kind of unblocked now, doing some fetch quests... but I still can't find that character who has the potion recipe or something...

If you want spoilers, he's in the sewers. First do the quests for the key to the sewers.

I doubt that: I need the potion to get into the sewers I think.

The potion/antidote is not for the Sewers, but rather for the spiders in the Catacombs. Therefore you can find the Alchemist in the Sewers, do some quests for him, and he'll give you the antidote. Then, as the story progresses, you can gain entrance to the Catacombs.

But I have no access to the sewers! I have to steal some parchment from someone on the ramparts but I can't find the bloody things, even after having paid the florins to the smithy for directions! This is awful!


ok, checked a walkthrough and I know where that guard is, already been there but had no idea this was the rat to target...

There are some serious design flaws here... :/

The sequence is like this: pickpocket the guard on the Ramparts (IIRC he's on the way to the Far Tower, but I may be mistaken). This gives you either the combination for the rings to enter the Alchemist's lair (which you can guess anyway by trial & error) or a password. Then go to the Frog who is imprisoned right next to where you started the game. He is supposed to give you the key. The gate leading to the Sewers is nearby.

Yeah got those (alchemist thingie doesn't ring a bell), I was searching the sewer gate (that I had find earlier but forgot where it was - thanks for reminding me where it is, gosh darn, I'm gonna lose more time backtracking - grrr).