Developer: Camouflaj, Logan Games
Publisher: GungHo Online Entertainment
Platforms: iOS, Android, PC (Episodes)
PS4 (Full)
Tested on: PS4
République – Review
Today, almost everyone lives in a democratic state. We can have our own opinion, do (mostly) what we want and we can go wherever we want to. What if this freedom was taken away and we grew up in a totalitarian state? Things would be a lot different, as there would be an organization that would choose everything for us. République lets us help a young woman that wants to escape this hell. Will you be able to help her out of this situation?
Story
The first things you’ll encounter, are the scared and desperate looks of Hope. She’s a girl trapped in the web of an unnamed totalitarian state and it seems she’s in a lot of trouble. Her plea makes clear that you’re the only one that can help her, although you can only watch helplessly at the moment.
You can see her thanks to a camera on her phone, but when she hears her superiors coming, this device is quickly hidden. Don’t worry though, as you are switched to a camera in the room, giving you the possibility to witness the conversation. From what you can understand, it seems that Hope has read forbidden literature and she will be punished for doing so. Mireille, one of the leaders of the gang, has her own motives, although these are unclear at the moment.
Eventually, Hope is taken to a different cell and just as you did before, you can get a ride by switching the camera and get a glimpse of the facility. When you get the visual back, you can see Hope trapped and after her new plea you want to help her escape. Where this will lead you and what obstacles you will need to overcome, is something you can’t imagine.
Overall, the narrative is quite unique as you have a rather special role in this game. Next to controlling Hope, you also need to scan the perimeter and help her get to safety. A lot of things might seem unclear at the start, but you’ll learn more and more on the go.
Graphics
République was originally available on mobile devices and PC but we got the chance to test the PS4 version. Overall, the graphics are quite great. The facial expressions are quite realistic and you can see Hope’s desperation when she finds out she is almost done for and pleading for your help. Most of the times, you’ll have an overview of the room, as you are looking for a safe passageway for your trapped friend. Even if you shift to Hope, you always will get a camera angle view.
Taking a look at your enemies, you’ll notice that a lot of them are similar, even so that they feel like they’ve been cloned. Their passports mostly don’t resemble their in-game representation, although it is a fun fact that the kickstarter backers have gained their place in the game, even though they’re still evil goons.
Sound
Since you’re stuck in a dodgy place and you’re desperately trying to get out, the music feels like it has been limited to a minimum. You’ll hear some faint music, similar to the tunes you’ll hear in a horror game. The game shines in its effects as these are the most present. Computers buzzing, distant footsteps, turning cameras, … are just a glimpse of what you can expect to hear. Since you can only see a small area per camera, it might be that you could hear the enemy rather than seeing him.
Voice acting wise, Hope is the star of this play. The desperation in her voice feels real and really adds that bit extra. Something that could have been better, are the voices of the goons for instance. The less important characters all have the same or a similar voice, which kind of feels weird at times.
Gameplay
République is an action-adventure stealth game that will take you to a totalitarian state. You’re stuck in a facility called Metamorphosis, where Hope seems to have grown up as a Pre-Cal. These are dominated by the Prizrak, which believe in the all-known wisdom of the Headmaster. It is your task to guide Hope to safety, past all the guards and other problems.
You can control both Hope and the cameras of the facility. Switching between the two modes can be done by pressing R1. When you’re in the camera mode, everything freezes and you have the opportunity to thoroughly look around. To change to a different camera, you’ll need to press the appropriate button. This is quite necessary as danger is always close by. For instance, you can check if there are enemies on the lurk and take a look at their identity. Even more, if they’re in a good spot you can lock the door, keeping them trapped for a while and giving Hope a chance to pass without fear. Also, you can also scan or hack certain items, giving you intel and gaining the possibility to sell these later on.
Since you’re in control of the camera’s, you’ll be in need of some decent software. The OMNI View is definitely something you can start out with but if you want to get into certain parts of the facility, you’ll need to upgrade your software. Thank heavens that you have Cooper to help you. This good Samaritan is one of the employees of the state but he wants to help Hope escape. Thanks to him, you get a lot of information and even the location of the much-needed upgrades.
Next to the software upgrades, you can also buy new features from a Data Broker. The intel that you find during your adventure can be sold for some cash, which can be spend on upgrades like hacking into a computer and reading emails or predicting the trajectory of a goon. Very useful indeed so it is important that you keep your eyes peeled for intel.
Doing certain activities like locking doors will deplete your energy. Once everything is out, you need to find a recharging dock to energize Hope’s phone. This will go in a jiffy, making it easier to continue your journey. The amount of energy will increase with the upgraded software, so you have a bit more room to do certain things.
Next to your magical hacking skills, you can also change Hope’s clothing and check out the map. Cooper will place marks from time to time, guiding you into the right direction. It is great that there is a map, but the panning speed feels quite slow, which kind of breaks the flow of the game. Changing Hope’s clothes at the start of the game will alter the difficulty setting so always check if something changes or not.
If you know that the coast is clear, you can switch to Hope and get her moving. Doing this will unfreeze time, so be careful as the enemies might start their round again. Stealthy sneaking is necessary, as she can’t fight and if she’s caught it’s game over. At least she has some tools she can use, like pepper spray and tasers. These can be found all over the facility although they are scarce, so try to stay out of sight as much as possible and avoid contact at any cost. When you’re feeling feisty, you can try to pickpocket your enemy. You can get really close to them without them even knowing, but watch out that you don’t get caught.
It could be that there is no escaping the possibility of an encounter, but there are always hiding spots you can use. For instance, there are empty lockers that seem rather small but will fit for a while or you can hide behind a big statue. As long as you’re not visible, everything is okay.
At the beginning of the game, you might feel that everything is a tad tricky but this gets better when you progress the game. What is a shame is that you revisit a lot of areas and the patrolling enemies never change their path. This means that it makes everything more easy but also a tad dull after a while.
Conclusion
If you don’t like to stealth all the time, you won’t really enjoy this game, although the story is quite intense. Even more, the narrative is guided by some amazing graphics and subtle sounds, making it a fun experience. Gameplay wise, there are some things you can do and keep in mind, although the gameplay might get repetitive after a while.
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