Pathologic (2005) is a fascinating video game that you’ve (likely) never heard of. Released in June of 2005 in Russia, the developers, Ice-Pick Lodge, created a game unlike something we’ve seen during that time. While most video games in this era were fast-paced, Pathologic is a very dialogue-heavy and slow-paced experience. 

This game has seen remasters since its initial release. In 2006, G2 Games and GMX Games released a translated English version, as the original was written in Russian. In 2015, General Arcade released the Pathologic Classic HD version, with better-written dialogue, updated voice acting, and better graphics. Finally, in 2019, Ice-Pick Lodge developed Pathologic 2, an overhaul of the original game, but one more easily accessible to the general public than the original. This was due to the often confusing dialogue from the original game, which would turn people off from the experience. 

The Story & Characters

The story allows you to play as three different people in the town, the Bachelor, the Haruspex, and the Changeling. You can only play as the Changeling once you complete a playthrough of at least one of the other two characters. You run through the same basic story of a deadly plague hitting the town and you only have twelve days to cure the plague and save the town, or die trying with the rest of the townsfolk. 

The Bachelor, or Daniil Dankovksy, is a doctor and foreigner to the town and he comes seeking knowledge on how to live forever. Instead, he stumbles into a town that is about to be overcome by the plague, and he can’t leave since the town military won’t allow anyone to leave. As of now, Danill can only be played in the original game or as a DLC for day one in Pathologic 2. The developers hope to add his full story eventually in the sequel. ‘

The second character, the Haruspex, or Artemy Burakh, is a local who left the town and his father for years to pursue being a doctor elsewhere. He is summoned to return by an interesting letter from his father, and he comes back only to learn his father, the only doctor in town, has died. Not only that but he was ambushed by a few locals and killed them in self-defense. However, since nobody saw the attack, the town assumed he killed them in cold blood, and the whole town fights him in the streets if he’s seen. He also spends the 12 days trying to cure the plague, but his journey is much more difficult as he has a low reputation and people don’t want to help him. His story also explores Artemy trying to find out who killed his dad. You can play as Artemy in all versions of the game, and his story is the one I find the most interesting.

Finally, you can play as the Changeling, or Clara, a young girl who has divine abilities to heal or kill people with the touch of her hand. She also has a doppelganger running around town and causing trouble, hence the Changeling name. Clara spends her time trying to find her lookalike and much like Daniil, she can currently only be played in the classic version and she’s not a playable character in the sequel.

My Experience (So Far)

I, myself, had never heard of this game until a YouTuber I enjoy, known as hbomerbguy, released a video in 2019 talking about his experience playing the Classic HD of the game, and the good, bad, and ugly parts of the game. Overall, he does really enjoy the game, but understands that it’s truly not for everyone, However, he did recommend its sequel as a more accessible experience for players, and I decided to give it a shot. 

While I haven’t gotten very far into it, I’m only on day 2, I do understand how foreign it feels going into it. Despite knowing a good chunk of the story because of hbomberguy’s video, it’s a whole other experience to actually sit down and play. Even for an avid reader like myself, the dialogue can be dense but relatively easy to follow. It’s also a survival-based game, so much of your time is spent getting food and supplies while you trek across town to different quests. 

Sometime in the first day too, the town finds out that you killed locals and will fight you if they come across you. Your choices are to fight back or run. Killing more people would lower your reputation more, so the smart choice is to run until you get inside somewhere or they lose sight of you. 

It’s not a typical kind of game I play, but I’m intrigued enough to continue and one day when I complete the Haruspex’s run, I may come back to do a full review.