Picture from Devolver Digital 2017 E3 Presentation.
Now I haven’t played too many Devolver Digital titles, but I have seen many of their memorable E3 press conferences, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from The Red Strings Club. This cyberpunk choose your own adventure was a thoughtful delight from beginning to end. You get to play as a hacker, a bartender and a sentient AI, making moral decisions about implants, free will and corporate espionage.
Be warned there is a fair bit of pixelated nudity in the beginning of the game that was a bit jarring, but also hilarious in the context presented at the time. I was absolutely rubbish at the bartending, and there was a lot of alcohol abuse on my part trying to serve drinks to the patrons before gathering intel about them. Each choice you make impacts the story of the game, how the other characters interact with you, and can open up new dialog options.
The gameplay itself is short, about 3-4 hours. However, exploring all possible choices adds a lot of replay value to the title. The soundtrack is unobtrusive, and only noticable at a few points in the game. The bit style graphics are beautiful, and a personal favorite of mine. The game is available on most consoles and PC, and at $14.99 I would recommend it, but maybe try to get it on sale.
Gameplay: 8
Controls: 8
Visuals: 8
Story: 8
Music: 4
Value: 5
Overall: 6.8