State of Mind

Review

The year is 2048.  It is a time of great technological advancement for mankind; Robotics has advanced to a point where they have replaced humans for most public service jobs, allowing the surveillance state to be ever present, as our overlords never sleep. Augmentation has also become possible in this dystopian world, if you can afford it. Corruption, conspiracies and terrorist attacks run rampant in society, and as there is a group fighting the system also present, your fates will intertwine as you piece together the story. Despite the cutting-edge technology, pollution, disease, and dwindling resources have led to wars. One man has a vision to save mankind by colonizing Mars with the fittest people on Earth.  But things are not always as they seem. The story will take place through various points in time, spanning 20 years, partly played in reality, and partly in the virtual world. Can mankind find salvation, or will it wither out of existence?

Released and self-published on Aug 15, 2018, by the developer Daedalic Entertainment, this indie title is a sci-fi, cyberpunk, dystopian, adventure game presented with a low poly character graphic design mixed with realistic environments, resulting in a distinctive visual effect. It features full controller support, but I was more comfortable using the keyboard and mouse for my playthrough. It also supports Tobii Eye Tracking, with expanded features for those who wish to take the augmentation portion of the title to the next level. You will play a total of 6 different characters as you progress through the game. At times you will also have to play as 2 characters at once to get past some areas. Search for clues and utilize your deductive reasoning to piece together a story that spans 2 decades in 2 interwoven realities in order to find your family and discover the truth about your accident.

We begin our adventure as Richard Nolan, a journalist with the news agency called the Voice in downtown Berlin, and heads the technology department. You wake up in the hospital. Shaken and unsure about what happened, you're told that you had been in an auto accident. The doctor runs a few tests to make sure you're well enough to go home. Once the testing is done, you return home to find a robot waiting for you, and your family gone. You do not have much use for the robots, as you are not a big fan of some of the world's technology. After talking to the robot and then to a friend, we flash back to the accident and then everything goes black.

We then wake up as Adam Newman in Central City 5, who is also a reporter at the Voice in this reality. He also just had an auto accident that has him out of work. While he takes care of his son after the accident, he begins to notice peculiarities about his world. You will switch between the 2 characters and worlds as the story moves forward. When Richard contacts Adam for the first time, he is not sure what to think, whether it's a joke or a hoax. He will soon realize that it is neither. They must seek out clues and put together a complex story of deceit & corruption in the struggle for mankind to find paradise.
Before the story ends you will play 4 more characters, which adds a fresh take on the game every so often.

What an incredible story! I was locked to my chair from the moment I started playing till the end of the credits. I rarely get a title that is so totally engrossing that I simply cannot stop playing. The gameplay is pretty intuitive; I didn't really have many areas that were too complex to figure out, so it is a casual game. I do feel they could have done a little better with some of the voice acting, but most of the voice acting was good. As for animations for non-main characters, I found it felt a little like standing by a bunch of mannequins instead of people in some scenes, which broke my immersion. The story was one of the most interesting I have played in a while, and is what really makes the game shine. At the end of the game, I was simply awestruck. It will not be forgotten soon. The priceline is fair for the amount of playtime you receive. So, for all you adventure fans, this is a must-play!

Achievements hunters should note the 19 hidden achievements will require multiple playthroughs to 100% the title. At the end of my playthrough, I only have 65% of the achievements. I was disappointed in this for the length of the title, which took me 12 hours; it can be finished in a little over 8 hours if you rush. Still, this is a lot of time to put in again to try and get all the achievements.

Review written by DamageInc.for Zeepond.com!