Review of Nobody Wants to Die – a new detective thriller set in a dystopian future

Contents:

• "This City is Sick"
• Crime Scene Reconstruction
• Other Gameplay Features
• A World Built on Fiction
• Plot Limitations
• Summary

The ability to change fate, control time, and avoid death is often associated with superheroes. However, many of us have thought about eternal life, the afterlife, reincarnation, and elixirs of youth. What if technology reaches a level that allows us to transfer our consciousness to another body? This question raises many ethical and scientific aspects. Considering that such technologies may require not only financial costs but also certain sacrifices, it is worth considering the possible side effects. How will such an invention change society and individual perceptions of life and death? These thoughts open new horizons for discussing the impact of technology on humanity and its future.

The recently released dystopian novel Nobody Wants to Die presents one possible scenario for the development of a progressive civilization. At the announcement stage, the project attracted attention with spectacular trailers and high-quality screenshots. Despite the support of such giants as Epic Games and the Polish Ministry of Culture, the independent studio Critical Hit Games faced a challenge developing an ambitious detective story within various constraints. To conceal these limitations from the average player, the developers emphasized the project's strongest aspects—captivating graphics and a gripping story.

"This City Is Sick"

The opening of Nobody Wants to Die features numerous references to cult neo-noir and cyberpunk films. The game's atmosphere partially echoes projects such as Cyberpunk 2077, Observer, Fallout, BioShock, and L.A. Noire. Despite the fact that the developers did not reveal details of the universe for a long time, skeptics might have been convinced that the game would be just a collection of hackneyed clichés, presented in attractive graphics on Unreal Engine 5. However, the launch of Nobody Wants to Die dispels these doubts and demonstrates the uniqueness and depth of the game world.

The focus is on a unique and dystopian future world set in New York City in 2329. In this world, scientists have made a revolutionary discovery—icorite, a substance that allows the transfer of a person's consciousness into a new body. Upon reaching 21, every citizen is required to pay a subscription that provides the ability to change their appearance in the event of aging, injury (not affecting the brain), or to improve their attractiveness. The quality of the new body directly depends on the subscription price. The system provides social discounts, for example, for law enforcement officers, which highlights social inequality in this future society.

New shells appear at the expense of the low-income segments of the population. If a person cannot afford the subscription, their body is confiscated, and their consciousness is placed in a special vault until it is purchased by relatives or caring individuals. The most valuable unclaimed "specimens," including the bodies of orphans, are sold to the wealthy or auctioned off. The black market also actively participates in this process, offering alternative ways to obtain shells. Consciousness transfer leaves its mark. The user not only inherits ailments from the previous owner but also experiences side effects, including distorted memories. These distortions can manifest themselves in the form of hallucinations, which significantly complicates adaptation to a new reality.

Over time, the rapid introduction of technology has had a significant impact on climate, society, culture, and human lifestyle. Players gradually realize that the world of Nobody Wants to Die could not have been any other way. High-rise buildings, endlessly soaring upward, represent more than just an aesthetic image; they represent the necessity of creating new floors in the search for less polluted air. This process reflects not only architectural changes but also the global challenges facing modern society.

The lack of funds to purchase an apartment in a high-rise building forces people to settle in unfavorable areas of the Old Continent, where they can see the decapitated Statue of Liberty. Retro images become a symbol of cultural stagnation caused by the immutability of social consciousness. The surrogate food offered in Demer vending machines becomes commonplace against the backdrop of the extinction of flora and fauna. Realistic dialogue and in-game documents perfectly reflect the specifics of this environment.

As a result, a holistic picture of the fictional world is created, which It seems so plausible that the imagination begins to generate new stories that can develop in the Nobody Wants to Die universe. This phenomenon can contribute to the formation of a fandom, which, in turn, prolongs the life of even the smallest projects. Importantly, the active participation of the community in the discussion and interpretation of this world can lead to new ideas and directions that increase interest in the original work. The formation of a fandom not only increases the popularity of the project, but also creates opportunities for its further development and expansion.

Crime Scene Reconstruction

The discontent of ordinary people who have become dependent on subscriptions is growing every year and may lead to protests. Against this backdrop, the mysterious death of a well-known figure occurs in political circles. To avoid unnecessary public attention, a police inspector assigns Detective James Carr to the investigation. He recently switched bodies after a tragic death on duty. James is officially unable to return to work, having failed a psychological test to synchronize his memories in his new body. Meanwhile, his new partner, Sarah, is supervising him, communicating via headset. James's investigation gameplay features several mechanics that interact freely. The player's primary objective is to find clues and reconstruct the crime scene using various gadgets. These include UV lamps for detecting bloodstains, X-rays for analyzing bullet trajectories and detecting hidden energy sources, and a re-enactor. This last tool, presented as a bracelet, is particularly interesting because it allows for time manipulation, a feature heavily emphasized in promotional materials. These mechanics add depth to the gameplay and make the investigation more engaging and interactive.

The Reconstruction Tool is activated using simple mouse or gamepad button combinations at specific locations determined by the plot. When activated, a timeline appears on the screen that can be rewinded or fast-forwarded. Initially, the timeline is significantly limited, as the detective has insufficient information about the events that occurred. This mechanic allows players to gradually uncover plot details and find key clues, which adds intrigue and engagement to the gameplay.

Certain time periods require special attention, indicated by highlighted areas on the timeline. When entering these zones, anomalies are observed that may indicate important events. The detective should enter this area and carefully examine it to identify key details that may shed light on what is happening. Such careful analysis allows for a deeper understanding of the situation and the discovery of the necessary evidence to solve the case.

After all the clues in the anomaly zone are collected, a new timeline section is activated on the bracelet. The cycle continues until the hero completes the exploration of this area and moves on to the next task. This creates a dynamic interaction with the game world, allowing the player to become more immersed in the story and uncover all the secrets. Each new discovery in the anomalous zone brings unique experiences and opportunities for further character development.

This tool brings a fresh twist to traditional gameplay, typically displayed as silhouettes or holograms. It allows for a deeper immersion into spectacular scenes with gunfights and explosions, showing them in slow motion. One episode is presented from a first-person perspective, which ties into the storyline. This creates a unique experience, allowing players to better understand the dynamics of the action and feel the game's atmosphere.

Unlike the Sherlock Holmes games, in Nobody Wants to Die all deductions are linear, preventing players from constructing alternative theories based on the collected evidence—Sarah will simply dismiss them. This may be because the presence of variability could have led to more radical plot twists, significantly increasing the scope of the game. This approach creates a clear narrative structure, but limits opportunities for exploration and creativity.

Other Gameplay Features

Dialogue is an important element of gameplay. Some lines and actions influence the development of the plot, but you should not expect the complex dialogue trees typical of Quantic Dream games. Response options can only diversify conversations and deepen understanding of characters, while others create the illusion of non-linearity. For example, if James claims that UV rays cause cancer, Sarah might tease him at length, believing he's afraid to use a UV lamp. Engaging in a verbal altercation with a neighbor behind a bathroom wall can earn an achievement. There are also more significant choices that influence the ending, typically presented at the end of episodes and easily recognized by their heightened emotional intensity. These elements add depth and variety to the gameplay, allowing players to better understand the characters' motivations and personalities.

In Nobody Wants to Die, the dialogue is written with deep insight and attention to detail, making it engaging to read. Even when the protagonist expresses his thoughts with excessive pomposity or cliched phrases, it's explained by his fascination with old-school film noir. This creates a believable context, as opposed to simply following trendy literary tropes. The writer really captures the character's personality through his speech, which adds uniqueness and depth to the story.

During breaks between investigations, the main detective carefully explores the surrounding world. Interestingly, the game does not require players to collect numerous conditional trophies carefully hidden in the most remote corners. At its core, the game is linear, and the space for interaction with the environment is quite limited. However, for those who prefer detailed exploration of locations, rewards are provided. Just move a little away from the crime scene, and you can discover an item that will open up additional dialogue options or deepen the storyline. This creates a captivating balance between linear and exploratory gameplay, allowing players to not only develop their detective skills but also delve deeper into the story.

In the screenshot, James discovered a series of jars containing artifacts from the past at the home of a wealthy collector. In today's elite society, these items are used for aromatherapy. How can the detective convey the scent of chocolate to Sarah when he himself has consumed only synthetic substitutes his entire life? This is a challenging task, the completion of which will earn the player an achievement.

A World Built on Fiction

A striking combination of visual effects, detail, sprites with crowds of people, procedural generation, and matte painting creates a believable dystopian landscape of the future. Some users initially believed that the world shown in the trailers could be explored in a hover car. However, the ability to fly around the city is limited to scripted story routes, which adds an element of interactivity, but does not open up complete freedom of movement.

Gameplay creates a sense of freedom of movement, driven by the dynamic narrative. When the story slows down, the player is able to explore the surrounding world in more detail. For example, in his apartment, James can open a window, stroll down the outdoor stairwell, and even climb a neon sign to take a break. This allows the player to become more immersed in the game's atmosphere and feel a connection with the character.

The game's interior design is meticulously detailed, creating an atmosphere where even the characters fade into insignificance against the surroundings. The environment lacks physics, which is an advantage in this context, allowing for greater focus. While many players enjoy interacting with objects in indie games, in Nobody Wants to Die this process could feel unnecessary. This approach enhances immersion and maintains tension, making the experience more immersive and unique.

Some users have reported game crashes on systems with graphics cards that support ray tracing. However, no critical bugs or serious issues were encountered during multiple playthroughs. The only issues were minor collision issues during reconstruction. Optimizing the game on such video cards requires attention, but overall, the gameplay remains stable.

When a character model is in a confined space, it becomes difficult to get around it, and it is necessary to carefully select an appropriate position on the timeline to move forward. Situations similar to the one shown in the screenshot often arise: an object blocks the passage to the bar counter, and the interaction area (wound) is too far from the character. As a result, the player has to "aim" for a long time to find the optimal point to activate the interaction. However, such cases are quite rare and do not constitute a common problem in the gameplay.

Story Limitations

The development of the storyline in the game is not as variable as it might seem at first glance. Despite the presence of four endings, they can essentially be reduced to two main ones. The remaining endings are simply variations of one of the endings, which differ only in the cutscene with the denouement, the audio message in the credits, and the receipt of a separate achievement. This makes the ending choice less significant than it is intended, and puts the focus on key plot points.

The automatic save system doesn't allow you to reserve an additional slot for an alternate scenario, forcing players to start the game over. While repeat playthroughs offer the opportunity to focus on achieving various achievements, reconstructing familiar scenes and using the same clues can become monotonous and tedious. This limitation can negatively impact the experience, reducing the interest in exploring new plot twists and alternative possibilities.

Conclusion

Nobody Wants to Die is a striking example of a small, linear game that creates the impression of scale. This illusion is achieved through high-quality graphics enabled by modern technology, as well as a well-thought-out concept of the world and plot. Despite the influence of other well-known universes, the game retains its uniqueness. Every detail and narrative element immerses the player in a captivating experience, allowing for a deeper sense of atmosphere and interaction with the game world.

The game's gameplay is unique and may seem boring to those who prefer dynamic adventures. However, the carefully crafted story captivates the player from the very first minute, immersing them in a world of intrigue and unexpected twists. This narrative holds your attention until the very end, forcing you to ponder philosophical questions such as the purpose of eternal life. Is it worth striving for immortality if it ultimately leaves people locked in their apartments, constantly worrying about saving up for a new body? These considerations make the game not only entertaining, but also deeply meaningful.