Sinless: What We Think:
Sinless is a hybrid of a visual Novel and a point-‘n-click game set in a cyberpunk reality. Debuted as the first part of a trilogy planned by MGP Studios, Sinless sets out to achieve some ambitious gameplay, but does it hit the mark?
As most dystopian games set in a bustling metropolis start out, the game eases you into gameplay beginning with what seems like a nightmare as you wake up in your bed and start going about your daily tasks. You can make your bed, check your bathroom and retrieve your smartphone from the living room. This is called a “Pearpod” and acts as an interface to play mini-games you have unlocked, check on your current funds or open up an RSS newsfeed to give you more of a background on the state of the world you live in.
Before you leave your front door…
It’s a scary world out there, and Big Brother is always watching. The citizens of this society live in constant fear of their oppressive police force, and this is evident as you carry on conversations with the NPCs you will encounter in most of the areas you visit.
One aspect that really helps build a feel for the game’s overworld is the soundtrack. It immediately grips you with gritty tones and relaxing beats that feel modern, yet are also a throwback. The tracks on this playlist will provide you with either a peaceful tranquility or a sense of uneasiness. Roland Redwood did a terrific job writing the OST, and luckily it comes packaged with the price of the game. Best listened to with headphones, as the game suggests.
So does Sinless deliver what it sets out to achieve? There were a few elements of the game I disliked quite a bit.
One of the major flaws was the lighting design in the game. Almost every scene was either too dark or too bright, with over-saturation occurring in both situations. This was obviously the developers’ intention, to add to the gritty cyberpunk feel of the game. I feel, however, this was one of the areas that could have used more work and attention in the final stages of development.
Don’t Just Click; Run, Jump and Punch!
Mini-games are usually a great way to break up gameplay to avoid a monotonous feeling. The amount of mini-games you can unlock and then replay on your PearPod at your leisure is refreshing in such a slow-paced game. The only problem with these mini-games is that they simply aren’t very engaging. The controls are clunky and there’s no real incentive to keep playing them repetitively.
Another negative aspect difficult to ignore is found in every screen when you’re outside exploring the city. The game wants to create the feel of a large city, and it tries to do so with a view of “sheeple” holding briefcases and moving along the background. The problem with this is that the rest of the screen is literally a barren wasteland of nothing but empty pavement and the odd NPC or object to interact with.
Point, Click, Exit, Reload
The game itself also comes riddled with crashes and bugs that make certain scenes unplayable. The auto-save is helpful, as you can restart the game and continue right where you left off. But this shouldn’t be a redeeming quality, as the load times are bothersome.
Should you play Sinless? If you’re a fan of the point-‘n-click or visual novel genre then you may get some enjoyment out of it, but this is a game I most likely will not go back to. Let’s see what the sequel has to offer.
Sinless is available via Steam.
[xrr rating=”2.5/5″]
Watch the trailer for Sinless below: