This review comes after my listening through Episode 3. There are a lot of "found footage" podcasts out there. There are a lot of "zombie" and "post apocalypse" podcasts, too. And while Rapture 518 falls into these categories, this one sticks with me. This one is different, and has me hooked. A lot of it is the superb performance by the anonymous actor playing Dr. Sarah Penn, who nails being believably conversational and yet polished in performance. Much of it is the setting and the slow unspooling of the mystery of the world and Rapture itself. But I think for me it's that Penn knows things aren't what they seem. And WE know things aren't what they seem. But I am already thinking that things are even further removed from that. And whether this is true or not, the fact that Rapture 518 sneaks into your head with its sympathetic character and once inside, starts playing with your expectations, means I'm coming back to this smart, simple show.

I usually don't like apocalyptics stories too much, because they're just too depressing. But despite having serious and horrifying and sad moments , this podcast also manages to not get too depressing for me. There are many light hearted moments and nice memories and best of all it never seems like all hope is lost, if that makes sense? I also love the mystery at the heart of all of this! And the sound design is very nostalgic, low key and well done in my opionion. The acting is also very well done, so having one narrator never gets stale. Personal highlight of the show: "I did eat a quarter of a block of cheese" - the most iconic and relatable podcast quote 2020. And (without spoilers but the people who listened will know what I mean) the window cleaning scene in episode 3 had SUCH a good setup, I SCREAMED.

To be real honest, apocalyptic shows aren't exactly ones that I flock to. There are amazing ones out there right now. Shows like "We're Alive." Rapture 518 is in the same vein, but feels very different. The very first episode grabbed me from the get go. And each one since has just added to the feeling of *I have to know what happens next.* Even though it is early, the story has a strong base to build off of. The sound design and music are wonderful. Dr Penn has a great voice that is easy to listen to. If you're looking for a wonderful new audio drama to listen to that is different from what the norm is right now, give this show a go!