(Note: As of writing this review, I've only played around 3 days of this game. While this is less than a third of the game as whole, I've already formed quite the opinion about this game. I might very well come back and edit this review as I continue more into the game, but I felt that I should note this for now.)

What *are* games?

If you were to ask this to most gamers, they would call it an artform. But to those same people who might also criticize this game on the simple foundation of it ''not being fun'', I ask you to either reconsider your take on videogames even being an artform, or your criticism of pathologic.

It's weird, really. So many gamers pretend to be some intellectuals for considering video games art, yet dislike a game for not being a constant dopamine dispensor. Art is about making you feel emotions. These emotions do not have to be positive emotions, they can be feelings of horror, boredom, sadness and... utter dread.

And here I am, with a positive review, saying this with the most positive intent:

This game is dreadful. Absolutely dreadful. And you should play it.
Pathologic 2 is a survival game, with a MASSIVE emphasis on survival. This is not your regular ''eat food and drink water thats very easily accesible every once in a while, your health will become better over short time'' type survival. This is an ''Oh, you're literally starving? Well, buy this fish for just 500 coins! Oh, you dont have enough coins? Just trade some items to afford it! Oh, you traded all your items and finally got just enough coins for it, but the fish only satisfied one slight bit of your hunger, and you're still starving? Well f*ck you then!'' type game.

It is a constant struggle, not just over the big goal of CURING A PLAGUE, but also a struggle of mere survival, ramped up times ten.

This, in itself, isn't inherently good. There are plenty of bad games that are also incredibly hard. But what makes this game good? A great mix. This game excels in storytelling and atmosphere. As you walk through this plague-ridden town, listening to it's strange, but fitting music, observing its strange monuments, houses and inhabitants, you immerse yourself in the game. You find yourself genuinely desperate to reach your goals in time. You approach carefully around every corner to look out for hostiles, your heartbeat increases every time you enter a district with a worse opinion of you, and you're willing to do whatever just to satisfy your hunger for a couple hours.

It's honestly hard to describe how well the dread of the gameplay, brilliance of the story and atmosphere of the town mixes into one of the best showcases that games REALLY ARE art, because it's not just a reward-based monkey in a restrain-chair dopamine dispensor, and I believe it's really telling to gamers who criticise this game for not being exactly that.