Gamedec is a nice cyberpunk adventure and a refreshing breath of fresh air as a detective game, but the conversations are badly written and do not elicit any emotion, even when major storyline decisions are made.
It is the year 2199. Only remains of Poland’s previous capital remain, and a new metropolis of the future, Warsaw metropolis, has been created on top of the ruins. The occupants’ main source of amusement is video games, however they provide an enormously better degree of immersion than those we are familiar with now. Marcin Przybyek’s novel’s scenario is undoubtedly intriguing and has a lot of potential. To spend time in virtual reality, gamers require a specific chair and headgear that allows them to not only view but also feel the digital environment. We take on the role of Gamedec, a detective who specializes in crimes involving virtual reality, which is not only pleasant for many people, but also a second, better life.
The narrative, however slowly unfolding, develops speed over time. The early orders are intertwined, and we understand after a while that we are in severe difficulty. The actual world is blending with virtual reality, and we no longer know who or what to believe. We use virtual worlds to deal with later cases and investigations. Each area, despite its modest size, is evocative and accurately represents the ambiance of the VR game we’ve just visited. It’s a shame we’ll spend the least amount of time in the last three regions, because they look the greatest. Nonetheless, the production’s many phases, such as those in the Wild West, are a strong aspect. Gamedec is an isometric camera game that relies nearly exclusively on dialogue and diary reading. There is almost no warfare here. Unfortunately, the talks aren’t that interesting. Battles of words and smart deductions are conveyed in a childish and unnatural manner. The authors sought to use computer jargon to depict the nasty, vulgar reality, but it was not totally able to express this mood in words.
During talks, terms relating to video games frequently appear: NPC, skin, loot, to name a few. Such jargon may be difficult for less experienced viewers, especially when combined with a universe that introduces more imagined, nonsensical terms. There are also several allusions to current gaming trends in the creation. The authors wink at fans several times, mocking the mechanics of repetitive grinding or micropayments. The developers provided players the ability to make their own decisions. Unfortunately, we do not experience the emotional weight of our acts, due to both the previously described dialogues and the events themselves. Often, regardless of our choices, the game takes us down its own path, with only minor deviations. Only the most recent elections have had a significant influence on the path of events. The most essential gameplay component is the deduction system, which not only allows you to advance the story but also pushes you to learn more about the environment and your surrounds. It’s an intriguing solution that’s been well executed. We get vital knowledge by conversing with NPCs, which becomes an aspect of deduction. The more clues we discover, the more clues we must follow. Once a trail is established, it cannot be altered.
We get points from four categories by answering questions during chats. These points govern our actions. We invest our income in occupations like hacker or influencer, which help us learn new things. Although the concept is sound, it has little influence on gameplay. The advantages should be more obvious because abilities are now not required to complete the game. There are still several technical issues to be addressed. For example, the game’s conclusion just returns you to the main menu, with no credits or other notice. We rebooted the game with a new pick to make sure it wasn’t a mistake, not knowing whether it was purposeful. There are also several mistakes and programming commands in the conversations, and the game occasionally freezes or shuts off. Many sound effects are missing, and the lack of dubbing adds to the impression that it falls just short of perfection.
Gamedec is an intriguing work, despite its limitations. If we ignore the particular language and sometimes oversimplified gameplay components, we will be rewarded with a title with a strong narrative set in an intriguing cyberpunk setting. The journey will particularly appeal to those who are disappointed by the absence of virtual reality themes in games.