A Hauntingly Beautiful Noir Experience
Nobody Wants to Die is the first game from developer Critical Hit Games, and with it they have captured the essence of classic noir with an electrifying modern twist. From the moment you dive into its gritty world, it’s evident that the game not only pays homage to noir cinema but immerses you in a fully realized, atmospheric experience that feels nostalgic. Set in 2329, the story shares elements from such hits as Blade Runner and Altered Carbon. In this world humans have found a way to live forever through moving their consciousness from one body to another, of course that’s only a luxury for the rich, so what happens when someone has had enough?
MSRP: $24.99
Platforms: PC (reviewed), Xbox, PlayStation
Price I’d Pay: $19.99
The first thing that stands out in Nobody Wants to Die is its masterful visual design. The game embraces a moody, monochromatic color palette that echoes the black-and-white films of the 1940s. If you’ve listened to the ZTGD Podcast, then you know I LOVE noir films and stories and have been working on a story of my own for like 20 years now. Enough about me though, the environments in NWTD are meticulously crafted, with lighting and shadow play that evoke the sultry, suspenseful ambiance of classic noir. The rain-slicked streets, flickering neon signs, and smoke-filled rooms create a world that is as immersive as it is evocative.
The character designs are equally compelling. Players will take on the role of James Karra, who like any good noir detective is a hard drinking, no nonsense, no rules type cop. James is given an apparent suicide case that the higher ups want quietly swept under the rug. But once James finds evidence that there is more to the case than meets the eye, he goes rogue in order to get to the bottom of it. The narrative of Nobody Wants to Die is a rich tapestry of intrigue and suspense like any good noir thriller. It weaves together a plot with multiple twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. The dialogue is mostly sharp and clever, filled with the kind of hard-boiled wit that defines classic noir literature and film. The game’s writing captures the essence of the genre, with a main character in James that makes him feel flawed, enigmatic, and deeply engaging.
As a huge jazz fan and former saxophone player the soundtrack is a standout feature that perfectly complements the game’s noir influences. The jazzy, melancholic score sets an atmospheric tone that enhances the immersion. All of the above is great, I just wish that the actual gameplay in Nobody Wants to Die was better. As it stands the gameplay amounts to looking for an interactive object and pressing A. The game has a really bad habit of holding the players hand, even when they may not want it to. I wanted to try more gadgets and explore a bit more than what is accessible here but even though I was disappointed with what really feels like ‘point and click’ gameplay, Nobody Wants to Die is an incredible game.
Nobody Wants to Die feels like a triumph of noir-inspired gaming. Its meticulous attention to detail, from the visual aesthetics to the great narrative, makes it a standout title for fans of the genre. The game successfully merges the best elements of classic noir with modern gaming sensibilities, while the game has a bad habit of giving too much help to the player; Nobody Wants to Die is a game that should not be missed by fans of the genre.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
