Adventure games have been around for years – for many, it was the first genre that got them into video games. I didn’t really fall in love (or play many) until I discovered LucasArts (don’t worry, I’ve repented for all the games I missed prior – can’t overstate my excitement for the new King’s Quest!). In recent years with self-publishing, plenty of point-and-click adventure games have joined the scene, but few are truly worth the time. So, where does Fictiorama Studios’ new entry into the genre land on the playability scale?
The game starts you (Michael) off waking up from a coma of sorts; Michael is known as a “blank head,” which is basically someone with amnesia. The term exists because many people were affected in a similar manner after The Great Wave (an inexplicable chain of natural disasters), though some worse than others – some even forgot they need to eat to stay alive. In the case of Michael, it’s just enough for the player to learn about the game’s world, while also playing on the mystery of the character they’re playing as – fairly standard for a game. But step out into the dystopian world, and you’re going to start experiencing… visions. That’s really the best way to put it. There’s also a disembodied voice that speaks to you, and a sickness that results in people never being seen again, as the post-Great Wave government takes them away. People with the sickness first enter a trance where they can allegedly speak with the dead, and thereafter they… well, dissolve, hence the name “the dissolved.”
If you’ve played a point-and-click adventure game, you know what you’re getting into gameplay wise. If not, don’t fret – there is hope! While the genre is often referred to as difficult, the game utilizes the spacebar to show hotspots (interactable parts of the environment) if you’re stuck – no need to make sweeps across the various environments with your mouse. And when attempting to use items incorrectly, Michael will say why you will not be doing so, as most games like this do. The game uses the left-click/right-click mechanic of interacting/observing, respectfully. Puzzles never reach the point of ridiculous in regards to solving them – while some require a bit of thinking abstractly, everything makes sense.
The artwork of the game is simple yet structured. Very stylized, which lends itself to the world’s feel. It doesn’t use the typical greys and browns to show grittiness – this utilizes blues and reds to show the distress, unlike what those colors do for games like Far Cry. Characters are made up of outlines and vector shading, and despite the lack of detail in the characters, a lot of emotion is portrayed through the animations. The music is equally haunting, with short loops and a creeping feel to it, the OST is the perfect companion to the wasteland.
There are plenty of games nowadays that follow the point-and-click tropes, and more still that have a world set in a dystopian future. It’s rare that one can nail both those things at once, creating something genuinely interesting and worth your time. Dead Synchronicity is one of those few games, made with an understanding of why people enjoy these games, and manages to rope you in with a fascinating tale. It’s also one of the few that takes you to some dark corners of life, but doesn’t feel forced. While the voice acting at times can take you out of the moment (the opening sequence comes to mind), don’t let that drive you away. There’s a lot to see here, and you won’t regret your journey through The Great Wave.
9 out of 10
Pros
- Artwork/Animations
- Story
- Puzzles
Cons
- Voice Acting
Dead Syncronicity: Tomorrow Comes Today was created by Fictiorama Studios and published by Daedalic Entertainment. The game is available on PC April 10, 2015 for $19.99. It is also now available on Xbox One, PS4, and Nintendo Switch. The PC and PS4 copies reviewed were provided for us. If you’d like to see more of Dead Syncronicity: Tomorrow Comes Today, check out the official site.
Here at GBG we use a rating method that you are more than likely familiar with – a scale of 1 to 10. For clarification, we intend on using the entire scale: 1-4 is something you should probably avoid paying for; 5-7 is something that is worth playing, but probably not at full price; 8-10 is a great title that you can feel confident about buying. If you have any questions or comments about how we rate a game, please let us know.
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