The Suicide of Rachel Foster is one of those games that lives as much on its thematic ambition as on the way it chooses to approach it — and that ends up being precisely what makes it so divisive.
The initial premise is strong and easily appealing to anyone who enjoys narrative experiences centered on mystery and isolation. The influence of works like The Shining can be felt right away in how the hotel is presented as a space that is simultaneously empty and oppressive, and that works very well in the opening moments. The atmosphere is, without a doubt, the game's greatest asset. The sound design, the constant silence interrupted by distant noises, and the sheer feeling of loneliness create a tension that stays present throughout the experience. During these first hours, it's easy to become absorbed and curious to understand what really happened in that place.
However, as the narrative moves forward, that same curiosity gradually turns into frustration. The story starts with impact, but loses strength when it tries to stretch itself without offering enough development to sustain the mystery. There are moments when progression becomes too slow and mechanical, and certain interactions end up breaking the rhythm instead of reinforcing it. Small day-to-day tasks inside the hotel, which could have served to deepen the immersion, end up feeling like artificial obstacles that only delay the revelation of events.
The most sensitive problem arises precisely in the way the game handles the themes it chooses to address. These are heavy, delicate subjects, and they demand a very specific kind of narrative care. Here, the execution doesn't always match the intention. The treatment of certain topics feels superficial and, at times, even uncomfortable because of how unevenly they are presented. That doesn't invalidate the attempt to explore difficult subject matter, but it weakens the emotional impact the game clearly aims to achieve.
The ending doesn't manage to reverse that feeling either. The final twist comes across as predictable and doesn't fully compensate for the narrative build-up that precedes it, leaving an impression of wasted potential.
In the middle of all this, what leaves the strongest mark is the atmosphere itself. This is a game that knows how to create an unsettling, enveloping space, but one that can't sustain that same quality when it comes to writing and narrative development. It's an experience that could have been far more consistent, yet still leaves its mark through its presentation and through its willingness to take the risk of touching on difficult themes — even if it doesn't always do so in the best possible way.
out of 10
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Game The Suicide of Rachel Foster Released 2020 Available on PC · PlayStation 4 · Xbox One · Nintendo Switch Reviewed on Nintendo Switch |  Cover: IGDB |
| PL | Pedro Lopes Writer · Portugal |
A games writer from Portugal running on a highly irresponsible amount of coffee — his blood type is officially "espresso". He has been a content creator at Lisbon Games Week, a jury member at Over & Out ’25 and an attendee of DevGAMM Lisbon 2025 (mostly for the free coffee). He has a Pac-Man tattoo on his finger, which contractually obliges him to chase ghosts forever.