Developer:
Носков Сергей
Publisher:
Носков Сергей
Platform: PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One
Tested on: Switch
35MM – Review
35MM is not a recent game. It dropped on Steam back in 2016 and was the debut game of independent Russian dev Sergey Noskov. Halfway walking simulator, halfway survival horror, it’s an experimental adventure with dated graphics and an interesting atmosphere. Only recently the game made its way onto consoles, with us reviewing the Switch version today. And since the game clearly saw limited to no updates from its original form, it suffers from all the faults you can expect from an indie debut game released in 2016.
Story
35MM gives us a rather cliché scenario: most of the world’s population has been wiped out by an epidemic, and the few survivors struggle to make the best of their situation. Our nameless protagonist and his friend travel across the wasteland together. No clue what they’re looking for, but the game reveals the plot through cutscenes and dialogue, with ample optional notes scattered around the world which you can search for if you want more world-building or to hear the stories of other survivors. The plot is vaguer and slow-paced because the dev clearly took the saying ‘it’s the journey that matters, not the destination’ to heart. The game focuses strongly on the melancholic feel of traveling in a ruined society rather than the logistics of where you are going and why. Luckily, it does convey that feeling very well.
Graphics
Since the game isn’t very recent, the graphics are a bit dated. They don’t look terrible but definitely could use improvement. Then again, maybe it gives you a retro feel? The atmosphere certainly doesn’t suffer from it: the Russian landscape and deserted cities don’t look half bad, though the character models especially show their age. What’s less excusable is the graphic glitches that litter this game, with objects often clipping through each other or animations lagging. It’s also odd that the game often pretends to be open world, with large sprawling forests and similar places for you to explore, only to then wall you off into a very small area or specific path through the use of invisible walls.
Sound
Musically, 35MM isn’t that amazing either. Again, it’s not terrible, and the soundtrack fits the subdued, dismal atmosphere of the game, but the droning background tracks get tiring rather quickly. The game has Russian voice acting throughout, the quality of which is hard to judge for somebody who doesn’t speak the language, but it certainly doesn’t sound bad or stilted. There are not a lot of sound effects though.
Gameplay
35MM is hard to categorize as either a walking simulator or a survival-horror game. It probably fits better in the former category though. A majority of the game is spent walking around the landscape, looking for supplies to pick up and the occasional puzzle piece of world-building through photographs or notes left by other people. Joining you constantly is your companion, who walks with you and serves as a guide on where to go. This character serves as an anchor point so you can’t get lost, and also as a way for the dev to control your pacing. You can’t stray too far from him, essentially locking you in areas for a specific amount of time.
Where it does become a survival horror game is when enemies pop up. Wild animals, other survivors, you’ll need to fend them off with the weapons you find. There are also traps that can kill you with one hit, so stay cautious. The controls are very finicky, so you can expect a certain amount of death. Luckily, the checkpoints are decent and if you can handle the trial-and-error way the game plays out, you’ll be fine. The game does have multiple endings depending on your choices.
If the title still confuses you, 35MM is a reference to a type of film used in a camera. Our protagonist has a hobby in photography and carries his camera around everywhere. As you travel across the desolate world, you can take pictures and edit those on the fly, leading to some artistic shots since the settings are still one of the highlights of the game. It doesn’t affect much of the plot or gameplay – and in fact, it’s quite easy to forget you have the camera at all – but it might be a fun addition for people who also enjoy taking lots of screenshots when playing games.
Conclusion
35MM is an old game that has been re-released with no updates. As bold as this move is, it’s a good way for Sergey Noskov to familiarize a larger audience with his work. This is especially true since the dev has two other titles already out – both received well with audiences. We reckon there are more games on the way. While 35MM itself might not be as much of a success due to its slow pacing and graphic awkwardness, it’s still not a bad experience to spend a few hours on.
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