In Change 87developed for PC by the German studio Pixel separationWe became employees of a very special company, NORN Corp. Our work is based on detecting and reporting anomalies in the environment. Some anomalies are simple changes, while others are a bit disconcerting, sometimes creating an unsettling atmosphere. Our work is divided into teams, which we must complete in order to move on to the next one.
Although the minimalist approach to storytelling is effective, It would have been interesting if Change 87 provide more details about NORN Corp and it will explain something related to the origin of the anomalies, which is not explained in any way. This is a point that, in my opinion, could have been much more developed and would have perfectly complemented the general atmosphere and tone of the game. On the other hand, and focusing on the pure experience, it is not strictly necessary, but it still adds up.
Shift 87 gameplay
The gameplay of Change 87 It is very simple, is based on observation. We explore three different environments: an office, a factory and a gas station. Each of them hides twenty-two anomalies that we must discover. However, we cannot find them all at once, since the game uses a loop system. Therefore, we will return several times to these places until we find them all. We must also be careful since not all loops contain anomalies, but are generated randomly.
You have to determine if the current loop contains something different before starting the next one. If we find the anomaly, we report it with a special device; if on the other hand we think there is none, we simply walk to the end of the area and start a new loop. You have to be right six times before you can move forward.but if we fail even once, the counter will reset and we will have to start that area over. Despite the repetitiveness, it is quite fun.
Anomalies and experience
As I say, Some anomalies are easy to detectsuch as a flood in an office, a factory full of plants, or gas station pumps replaced by cardboard cutouts. However, other anomalies are much more subtlelike a painting that slowly grows. This forces us to take our time in each loop and observe every detail of the environment. It can also be somewhat frustrating because it is easy for us to miss something and have to start the loop again. On the other hand, too There are anomalies straight out of a horror gamelike crying in the background in a dark office, characters that seem to be chasing us or a giant monster. Others are a bit absurd.but I’d better not talk about it, I’ll let you be surprised.
Explore all three locations It’s been quite interesting. There’s a very palpable tension at the beginning. Yes, it’s true that when you finish the first round, you already know what you’re going to do and you lose that tense touch, but it’s very enjoyable, exploring the environments is fun. I can tell you that. Finding all the anomalies in the game will take you about 2 hours. Beyond that, replay value is next to nothing, but it’s interesting to have someone you know take the controls and see their experience.
Technical section
Regarding the technique, Change 87 It’s solid. Graphically it looks very good, with detailed environments that give us those feelings of curiosity, fear and amusement. The lighting is also very neat and is another factor of the immersion.
Performance is smoothI have not encountered any type of problem during my game, no frame drops or similar, which is appreciated. As for the graphic options, they allow us to tinker with a lot of things like textures, effects, model quality or FPS limitation, among other options. It does not support DLSS or FSR, although I don’t think you need them too much either.
Another section is the sound, which is also very neat and knows how to keep us in the game at all times. The background music is tense and dark and the sound effects of certain situations are very curious.
Eventually…
Change 87 It’s a very fun and intriguing experience.. It’s a game that knows how to keep you hooked either because of its atmosphere or directly because of its premise. It’s addictive to scour each setting for anomalies, and while the best ones are the most obvious, the more subtle ones are the most satisfying to find.
In my opinion It would have been great if he had expanded his story a bit.even though I see that the developers’ intention was to focus on providing a specific experience, and it succeeds, but I can’t help but think about this possible story. It’s a short game but worth playing.It’s a very pleasant experience.
Change 87
Pro.
- The atmosphere
- The anomalies
Contra.
- Little depth in the story
- Short
I do things… It’s the neighbor who chooses the meme and it’s the meme who wants the neighbors to be the meme
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