Detailed Analysis - Collectibles, Environment & Context
Supply Cache's
As Henry gets settled into Shoshone for the long haul and leans into his responsibilities as a fire lookout, he will have access to the many different supply caches scattered around the forest. These caches are full of supplies for the lookouts in the area, ropes, and food. The code to access these caches is unimaginative, 1234, and even Delilah admits this, making it likely that anyone could access the cache but it seems nobody has taken the opportunity as items left in there have been sitting for a few years.
These caches are marked on the map and by unlocking more of them, you can find another cache not marked on your map otherwise. The caches are valuable because they can provide the player with the valuable gear needed to navigate the forest. The Cache also provides other forms of collectables that can provide additional storytelling narratives like notes.
Notes
While exploring the forest of Shoshone, we come across notes scattered around the areas and the supply caches. Most notable is the correspondence from 2 other forest lookouts, Dave and Ron. In actuality, correspondence is hardly the right word but for lack of a better one, it’s what we’ll be sticking with.
Dave and Ron are other fire lookouts that have left notes for each other just to talk whenever they’re not in person. Corresponding in 1986, 4 years before Henry’s time, through June to August you get to learn more about the lives of these 2 guys. Their lives aren’t really important to any type of Narrative but it’s good to learn more about the type of people who would take this job and the things going through their lives.
While investigating the mystery of who is watching them, Henry, with Delilah on the radio, finds several surveillance reports and transcripts. At first, we feel that there is something bigger at large, as the game’s narrative and dialogue do a good job of adding unease and tension for the pair. It also doesn’t help when Delilah informs us that she hasn’t reported things she should have and that logs are showing we lied.
Delilah's Thoughts
Establishing herself as the constant companion that is going to help Henry on his journey, Delilah is the only voice and person that Henry will be hearing for his long stay at Shoshone. His supervisor as the forest, Delilah’s job will be to guide Henry through his duties as a fire lookout. Perhaps the best part about Delilah is that besides her main story dialogue, everything else is completely optional and the fact players continue to report everything they see just so they can get a response from Delilah shows how well-written she is.
Through the main story, we get to learn a little bit about her personality like how typically she’s laid back and likes to make casual conversation with her lookouts. This doesn’t stop her from taking her job seriously, however, when she first sees signs of fireworks, despite there being a warning to visitors not to light fires due to the heat. At one point she complains to Henry about how she hates irresponsible people doing whatever they want in the forest.
As Henry explores more of the forest, accessing cache, finding notes and finding unique areas, it allows him to report these things to Delilah who provides her insights and gives knowledge about the area. When Henry finds what looks to be a rock formation, he realises that it’s a medicine wheel. Delilah informs us that they were made by Crow Native Americans with smaller ones scattered all around the area, showing the rich history and influence that the Native Americans had.
Whatever the case, having the chance to speak with Delilah was rewarding in its way as we typically enjoyed listening to Delilah’s thoughts and feelings on things we find, either location landmarks or finding the transcripts of our conversations. Naturally, she panics when she learns there are records of her and Henry’s conversations and this just shows how real she is as she has made honest mistakes but fears the consequences when they can be uncovered.
Delilah is a likeable and real character and serves as a brilliant foil for Henry as without her jolly nature and the presence she provides, Henry wouldn’t have been able to realise he can’t run from his problems. With the discovery that teenager Brian Goodwin died because of Ted’s (father) negligence and Delilah making the mistake of not reporting them, Delilah will struggle not to put his death on her in the future. While it is unlikely, we will see Delilah again, hopefully, she has learned something from Henry about running away from problems and will be able to accept this.