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Early AccessAttract Mode
Paranoia: Happiness
is Mandatory
Based on the 1984 tabletop RPG, Paranoia is set
in a dystopian future of compliance and double-
dealing, with people living constantly in fear of
being removed from the population if they’re
seen – or even perceived – to be working against
the desires and guidance of the world’s central
AI, known as Friend Computer. The video game
version takes that premise and sticks pretty
close to it, resulting in a tactical RPG where
opting for individuality over conformity will lead
to all manner of problems. Mainly death.
Depending on how it all comes together,
there’s a captivating premise in there –
unsurprising given it’s based on the classic
tabletop game. From what we’ve seen, Paranoia
plays out as an XCOM-alike, bookended with
role-playing choice and all that entails. The USP
is, of course, played out when you can (“do”) turn
on your teammates and dob them in to Friend
Computer, giving a boost to your standing in
the world and, thus, a higher security clearance
to make your way around and explore. Simple,
straightforward, honest dishonesty. Hopefully,
the game will make us happy by choice, though.Seed
Klang Games’ Seed is, right now, still in a very
early stage. Announced over two years ago,
it’s playable – we played it – but it’s light on
content for the time being. All this is set to
change, of course, and plans are in motion to
make this an innovative, unique MMO coupling
organic community-building with a persistent,
supermassive game world. Just remember,
it’s not ‘conquering planets’, it’s ‘making
them habitable’.Gold Express
The ever-growing growth of the Chinese
dev scene continues its... growth, with Gold
Express offering some asymmetrical cyberpunk
multiplayer action. It’s four versus one, with the
human team – the four – trying to steal data
from the machine team – the one. So think
Evolve, but with more neon and without the
vast expectations burdening it from the get-go.
(arly Access is launching imminently, and private
betas have seen some level of success for the
game, mainly in Europe and the US. One to keep
half an eye on if you wished Evolve was pinker,
we’d say.