Release Date: 02 February 2023
Developers&Publishers: KeokeN Interactive, Frontier Developments
Genre&Topics: sci-fi, story-driven space adventure, space exploration, Mars colonization, ecological crisis, global warming, third person view
I had redeemed a free copy of the game on the Epic Game Store, but I had forgotten about it. A few days ago I realized I had it in the library; in the absence of other noteworthy narrative titles, I decided to try it without too many expectations. And luckily I was wrong. I found myself faced with one of the most original and interesting stories ever written for a video game. This shows that what I call digital interactive narrative expressive art is becoming more and more popular and competing with cinema. Sadly, most of gamers is not aware of this evoultion and still thinks at video games in terms of challenges and toys. I wouldn’t care about this if not for an unpleasant consequence. This kind of productions are always cheap, far from AAA tier, at most AA or A1/2.
You can see this in DUM. E.g. characters animations are not on par with the high quality story. You can see how developers are forced to work with very few NPCs or to do the job with limited mechanics. At the same time, the limited production forces developers to take out virtue from poverty of resources and tools by squeezing their creativity! That’s why the result is really satisfying despite the limits.
Tbh, the previous game from same developers, Delivers Us The Moon, didn’t satisfy me too much; that’s why my expectations were low. DUM is so far better than the previous title, not only because of the very good original story. DUM comes with another ace up the sleeve: the very charming and detailed assets of Mars. They really nailed the best martian experience so far. Finally, we have a game that can deliver you the strong impression of being a space pioneer wandering on the desert surface of the red planet. The skillful interweaving of a wonderfully written and narrated story and the Martian landscapes faithfully reproduced in all their alienating atmosphere, that’s what makes the miracle despite the limited production!
I really enjoyed the trip for more than 10 hours, you should not miss it. You can experience the alienating atmospheres of movies like Total Recall (1990) or The Martian (2015); the feeling is amplified by interactivity and very good art direction. When I speak of limited interactivity, it doesn’t mean you have not good interactivity; just don’t expect it to be on par with AAA titles. Those who criticize the game by comparing it to an interactive movie are really wrong. I. e. you can explore the Mars surface on board of a rover. For lovers of challenges, don’t worry, they are still there, just more disguised in the realistic story. You have to repair several machineries and overcome various challenges and environmental puzzles to complete the mission, just as a real astronaut. Tbc, it’s not a game as Detroit: Become Human or Fort Solis, it’s a more classic third person view adventure game, with mechanics borrowed from games as Lone Echo (the laser cutter), Tomb Raider or Uncharted. You can recognize interactive narrative solutions from past sci-fi games as Tacoma, but it delivers very different and more entertaining experience.
No doubts, the very good interactive story is the real added value. You feel like the protagonist of a very meaningful interactive story. Characters have deep personalities and psychologies. Dialogues could be better, but they tell and involve you in a touching family story. On the background, we have even a bigger and more meaningful story. It’s set in a not so far future where global warming is turning Earth in a desertic land, violent storms are more intense; despite this, countries keep making war each other and economy is still founded on selfish profit to the detriment of scoiety and ecosystem. Sadly reminding of the present, isn’t it? Many efforts are directed at colonizing the Moon and Mars as an escape route from the collapsing Earth.
The story is very smart and makes us wonder about deep questions: does it make sense to use the most advanced technology to colonize and terraform Mars instead of trying to restore the Earth’s ecosystem? Terraforming Mars and getting used to living on an alien planet seems much more unlikely and difficult than trying to restore the Earth’s environment. DUM makes us reflect on a bitter truth: colonizing Mars only means bringing the same selfish and quarrelsome humanity to another planet and repeating the same history twice. The game does not give definitive answers, it does not indicate preferential paths or easy solutions. It simply confronts us with the harsh reality. All we have is hope and the will to never stop fighting for a better future; maybe fighting for saving Earth is a smarter solution on the short period. However on the long run, colonizing other planets could be the solution to population growth, a problem not so easy to manage.
What a time to be alive! I could never imagine a video game could stimulate such profound thoughts on par with the best science fiction movies and novels; and it’s not the only one, see The Invincible or Fort Solis. Unluckily most of gamers seem not to appreciate this narrative/expressive evolution path of contemporary video gaming, that’s why this kind of productions is usually cheap. So, please, do you a favor and buy and play this great game, and suggest it to your friends. Never drop hope and never stop to fight! 😉
RATING: 85/100
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