You play as a detective. All of your memory is gone. You have to solve a murder.
Much of the game is text, the bulk of your interaction is choosing what to say. This determines everything.
You will discover ideas with colorful names like 'rigorous self-critique' and 'overproductive honor glands.' You need headspace to equip these ideas. Then you must spend time internalizing them (typically with some kind of detriment to your abilities). Once you have mulled them over, they change form, augmenting and/or penalizing you in some way as well as opening up new conversation options.
All of the elements of the game feed into each other and slot into the incredibly detailed world that ZA/UM has created. Conversations open up leads to pursue as well as new thoughts, thoughts open up conversations, your character stats inform whether you can pass certain challenges and give you special responses.
Yes, you have to go back and forth and speak with the same people over and over. But every little piece you find expands your options, shades the world, and brings you closer to solving the case and discovering your identity.
The game isn't just about exploring a world and its inhabitants, but discovering yourself. You start completely without memory. You rely on others and what things you tell yourself in order to uncover who you are. Different aspects of your personality will talk to you, urge you to take certain actions. Electrochemistry is particularly talkative, especially when around drugs. You don't have to listen.
You can craft many different characters, from empathetic manipulative muscleheads to dexterous logical eggheads. There are four skill categories, with six characteristics apiece. Skill checks can be one-chance-only (red) or repeatable (white). Failing a white check means you can try again if you raise the associated characteristic.
There are lots of clothes to collect that affect your characteristics. Changing your outfit can wildly alter your conversations and challenges. You may even find some clothing that is a little chatty.
I can't wait to finish my first playthrough so I can immediately start on another.
You will discover ideas with colorful names like 'rigorous self-critique' and 'overproductive honor glands.' You need headspace to equip these ideas. Then you must spend time internalizing them (typically with some kind of detriment to your abilities). Once you have mulled them over, they change form, augmenting and/or penalizing you in some way as well as opening up new conversation options.
All of the elements of the game feed into each other and slot into the incredibly detailed world that ZA/UM has created. Conversations open up leads to pursue as well as new thoughts, thoughts open up conversations, your character stats inform whether you can pass certain challenges and give you special responses.
Yes, you have to go back and forth and speak with the same people over and over. But every little piece you find expands your options, shades the world, and brings you closer to solving the case and discovering your identity.
The game isn't just about exploring a world and its inhabitants, but discovering yourself. You start completely without memory. You rely on others and what things you tell yourself in order to uncover who you are. Different aspects of your personality will talk to you, urge you to take certain actions. Electrochemistry is particularly talkative, especially when around drugs. You don't have to listen.
You can craft many different characters, from empathetic manipulative muscleheads to dexterous logical eggheads. There are four skill categories, with six characteristics apiece. Skill checks can be one-chance-only (red) or repeatable (white). Failing a white check means you can try again if you raise the associated characteristic.
There are lots of clothes to collect that affect your characteristics. Changing your outfit can wildly alter your conversations and challenges. You may even find some clothing that is a little chatty.
I can't wait to finish my first playthrough so I can immediately start on another.
