Cynical would be an understatement. The now known as a classic pen-and-paper role-playing material by Eric Goldberg, Dan Gelber and Greg Costykyan throws all moral foundations of our society overboard and replaces them with a gag worldview, at Orwells 1984 like a children's book acts. That certainly does not lack a certain humor in the gallows humor division, if at Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory you don't get a laugh in your throat.
What a bizarre world. The events in paranoia are so far removed from the conventions of today's society that parabolic comparisons are difficult. It remains to be seen whether the material is suitable as a philosophical basis at all, after all, it is not a novel, but the story of a pen-and-paper role-playing game that was launched in the mid-1980s.
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In this bizarre vision of the future, the population mainly consists of clones, which survive as worker drones. A large computer, which is advertised as a friend but also as a paranoid father figure, assigns everyone a destination and evaluates the goings-on of each individual. Only those who remain loyal to the system extend their right to exist. Happiness is a must, because a bad mood is already a betrayal. A difficult task in a society without the slightest hint of affection and pleasure. Only regular intake of happy pills helps.
The paranoid computer master
In the world of paranoid there is not just one computer, but several, each of which controls a territory for itself. Each of these computers sees itself as a legitimate ruler and insists on adhering to its doctrine within its isolated complex. However, this game implementation is only about the events of the so-called alpha complex, which is governed with an iron fist. Whoever follows another, even cultivating his own values or otherwise dancing out of line, is considered a traitor. Informer is part of the agenda and part of the process of social advancement.
Hard stuff, born in the last years of the Cold War and therefore no longer as easy to understand in its motivation as in the 80s. Today, in times of Facebook and Co., the material looks even more cynical than it did then. Perhaps that is precisely the motivation for the current new edition.
The developers of Cyanide and Black Shamrock try to convey as much humor as possible in their PC implementation with the subtitle Happiness is Mandatory, so that the cruelty behind everything becomes more bearable. Hardly any dialogue takes place without a swipe, the humor is deep black and sometimes creepy, which is an outstanding unique selling point. Nevertheless, the spark does not really want to jump over.
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Is it the presentation? Well, the isometric bird's eye view with its tiny characters and frugal animations doesn't add much to the mood, so much is said. It occasionally recalls Shadowrun's Super Nintendo implementation, though without its somber touch. Many graphic elements are similar, even the portraits of the clones differ only marginally. Maybe that's intentional, but it doesn't generate much enthusiasm, especially since the comic style looks a bit rough. There is not much more anyway. Endless texts, which are rarely supported by voice output, convey everything that is necessary for understanding. Pretty dry.
With six clones through the game
You start the game as one of many clones with the job title "Troubleshooter", where you can choose one of three templates. As the first clone from a series of a maximum of six, you distribute as many attribute points as you like, which will bring you advantages as a leader or help you acquire equipment and healing items. In addition, you will be familiarized with a mutation (in our case a telekinesis force) and have to introduce yourself to the large computer.
The computer sends you to the departments of its complex in various missions to clear up grievances. Mostly it is about locating (and scheduling) renegades, which cannot be done on its own. That is why you go into battle accompanied by three party members who take part in the real-time skirmishes. Equipped with laser cannons and special weapons, you robots and other clones will go to great lengths in ranged combat, you must follow position and cover strategies and estimate the firepower of your teammates. If a fighter at your party crosses the Jordan, he is permanently dead and can only be replaced if the party is reassigned.
Careless rushing makes little sense – in several ways. As a clone of the lowest authorization level (class red) you have little freedom of movement at the beginning and you have to be careful not to exceed your powers, because this is also considered a betrayal. Every misstep is recorded and recorded in a percentage evaluation. If it reaches 100%, the computer will sentence you to death, allowing the next of the five copies to take over if you do not start the current mission all over again.
Staying free of treachery is pretty difficult because other traitors can lurk anywhere. Such as those that join together in secret societies and try to end the rule of the computer. Regular contact with such individuals increases the level of treason because you never go unnoticed. Even those who join the four-person fight party can denounce the main character for social advancement – even if there is no intention of betrayal.
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Sometimes you have to break rules to complete a mission. There is not much to be trusted from the team members' pledge to remain silent, as the debriefing of the mission shows. Trying to justify yourself in front of the computer usually backfires. This is sometimes hilarious, but also quite grueling when it comes to game progress.
Happiness is a warm gun
Make jokes? Sarcasm? Complain? Doubt the goal of a mission? All of this is considered treason. So you have to be careful what you give to whom in the multiple choice conversations and how you act in potentially treacherous situations. You have no leeway to just click your way wildly through the conversations.
Conversely, the computer expects you to report any deviations from other workers. If you keep something silent, this is also considered a betrayal. At least when a discrepancy becomes apparent, which is not always the case. The entanglement between societal requirements, the knowledge of renegades and the secrecy of one's own missteps transforms the gameplay into an interesting, yes, almost tricky tightrope act.
A good premise for an RPG, but the gameplay fails due to some technical quirks. It starts with the pure view control, which seems cumbersome on the joypad and always leads to the fact that you lose sight of your own character as soon as you explore the surroundings. Especially because of the way that party members pinched at all conceivable obstacles and forced annoying liberation maneuvers. You can escape some of these weaknesses with the mouse, but you have to interact with the HUD more often during battles and keep clicking with targets. Neither variant feels ideal, but the game controls itself quite okay with the mouse.
In Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory, lead a team of four troubleshooters of dubious loyalty.
Another shortcoming is the regulation of progress. Paranoia saves the history of all missions independently, but only between the main missions and in the cycles of the virtual days that the main character goes through. Since there are several missions pending every day, you run the risk of having to repeat actions that have long been completed after a failure – including long walks and exhausting discussions with NPCs, mission briefings, reports and everything that goes with it. Given the tightrope act during conversations and the fact that part of the success in battles is based on luck with the dice, the game designers are reluctant to forgive this.
