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If there is a dictionary definition of “games that nobody sees coming,” it could surely be illustrated by an image of Nobody Wants to Die, the new game from Critical Hit Games, a recently established Polish studio that brings together former members of the most beloved teams of all gamers, such as CD Projekt Red, who since 2020 have been creating this audiovisual marvelwhich reminds us a lot of Cyberpunk 2077. A group of experienced developers who seem to have taken the best of what they could do and put it together in a concentrated experience of several hours.
For fans of these retrofuturistic universes, the immediate reference is Blade Runner, because it is the only one that could suit Nobody Wants to Die, however, Although it dates from 2329, its aesthetic is more inspired by the first half of the 20th century.where cars began to dominate the streets and cities began their excessive industrialization. The result is a clearly retrofuturistic, noir-style title that focuses solely and exclusively on the police work of our protagonist, James Karra.
The peculiarity of this universe, which gives more meaning to the title, is that humans are “virtually” immortal. At least, until a certain age. But not in the way you think, since their mind is stored in a fragment housed in the head called Icorite, which can be transferred from one body to another, making the body market something common and society practically forces you to take out “insurance” for it. allows you to be in this selected group. We have already seen this proposal in one, in my opinion, of the best series of recent years, in this case produced by Netflix, Altered Carbon, which has many similarities to Nobody Wants to Die.
As Detective Karra, we will return to work after an indefinite period of inactivity, including a change of body, in which it is suggested that this was due to the typical problem of authority of the protagonist. This is precisely what will lead us to the obsession of discovering what is behind a series of murders, which we will investigate with all the gatchets of the future, including the one that will be the main mechanic of the game, the Reconstructor, which will allow us precisely to describe, reconstruct the crime scene from the evidence, but in an absolutely graphic and spectacular way. Welcome to the retro future of crime.
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Technical section
Once again, Unreal Engine 5 takes center stage in this game, as it allows for an absolutely impressive audiovisual level for studios with fewer resources. The reconstruction of this New York city is almost photorealisticboth in the incredible exteriors, which Detective Karra also enjoys with us, and in the interiors, where our investigations normally take place. In the images attached to the analysis, you can see without traps or cardboard, as seen on Xbox Series X, captures, which of course I took myself on my console.
And this technical step is very important, because this well-recreated environment manages to almost completely envelop the player in this dark universe, leaving us continually open-mouthed and, of course, satisfied with the gameplay itself, which really seems measured by a great study, since all the character’s movements are satisfactory.
Also, in case anyone is wondering, it will also have two graphics modes, one prioritizing image quality and the other performance. In my case, I opted for the 60fps that performance mode gives, as it also looks absolutely luxuriousleaving quality mode to those who have a 4K screen and want a defined image rather than fluidity.
The art design as well as the technical design make Nobody Wants to Die feel like a AAA at every moment, but that’s in the very mechanics of the reconstruction of the scenarios where the work of the studio shineswith completely transformed pieces and which, once again, perfectly transmit the work of the protagonist, feeling us inside the experience.
Gameplay
From a first-person perspective, we will control Detective Karra, moving through different locations, but always linked to the narrative, in a very linear progression, which will leave us practically no room for maneuver. This will be a problem for many, but for others, like me, I found it the ideal way to keep that narrative touch intact, giving the feeling that we have really entered a spectacular retro-futuristic detective film.
As we mentioned, The main mechanics of the game revolve around the “Reconstructor”, a tool that will allow us, thanks to the collected and live evidence, to rewind the scene.. It is curious, as you realize, that this reconstruction is actually based on evidence and not on reality, as if it were something magical, since the reconstruction itself will change as you learn more about what happened. And to find evidence, we will also need a UV light to follow the traces of blood, an X-ray detector and other characteristic elements.
However, when we finished the adventure, we realized that the use of the Reconstructor was limited to these scenes, being what really dominates the tone of the game, the radio conversations with the different charactersamong which Sara, our assistant, will take on enormous importance, being able to choose the majority of the answers, which will gradually develop our relationship with her, opening up new possibilities for interaction.
The “This decision will affect the story” signpost will be a big part of the title, so be careful with your answers. Will you be a vigilante James Karra? The one with nothing to lose? Or maybe the one who respects the manual and the laws? We have decided.
Duration
Lately we see how games have significantly reduced their duration, to offer a more focused and focused experience, which helps this type of low-budget titles and to face new games without leaving behind that long delay that we always complain about. In this case, We’re talking about 6 hours and there really isn’t much variationbecause the experience is very linear and moderately guided.
Of course, it has a moderate replay value thanks to the analysis part of each case, which depending on how you do them has conversation lines or others, but in practice we can’t get much out of an experience like the one offered by Nobody Wants to Die, and between us, we don’t ask for more either.
Conclusion
The trailer was promising and didn’t fool us at all. Of course, its scale is much lower than what you would expect from a AAA. And it looks so spectacular all the time that we want more. Imagine one of those big Cyberpunk 2077 missions, but swapping the punk future for the retro future. From the first moment, you are totally fascinated by the artistic and visual touch that the Poles from Critical Hit Games have brought to the title.
I can’t say anything better than I would like to see more stories of Detective James Karra. He has a past, an overwhelming personality and I loved the retrofuturistic universe itself, because I think it eventually enters a decadence more typical of a post-apocalyptic world.where life is worthless beyond maintaining a subscription. Imagine that at 21, if you don’t pay that subscription, your body will be stolen and your mind frozen in a digital bank.
Nobody Wants to Die has a lot of impact on this topic and its plot practically revolves around this very important question that marks the future of an extreme capitalist society that hides much more than it seems. Without a doubt, one of the best independent films of 2024 and an adventure that I recommend 100% … if you are a fan of good storytelling.
Pedro Del Pozo
The good
- The visual aspect is impressive both artistically and technically.
- The conversations and their common thread are really captivating.
- The reconstruction of the scenes we investigated is spectacular.
- Everything works like silk, its gameplay is “smooth as butter”
Bad
- Maybe it’s a bit short
- It seems like you are being too guided.
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