The rise of virtual reality and other uber-modern technology is at an extremely steep gradient, which can be for better or for worse. The Berlin of 2048, the setting of the newest futuristic thriller State of Mind, argues for the latter.
It is the rise of technology which has formed a terrifying dystopia, increasing crime, pollution and war whilst stripping resources in order to separate and ruin the human race. In place of man come the robots, overseeing everything in a twisted totalitarian-esque environment. As a result many people have chosen to escape to the virtual ‘utopia’ City5 – but one of your characters, Richard Nolan, is not one such person. He must stay in the depressing real world to find his wife and child as well as rescue his memories that are gradually slipping away from him.
That’s where you come in – and through hours of gameplay you will have to skilfully gather research across the environment in order to reconstruct Richard’s past-life. The fact that your own reality and another’s digital life intertwine is one that you could find many clues in. Through rediscovering your own life you will also uncover an unnerving conspiracy regarding digitalism, surveillance and transhumanism, posing many thought-provoking questions with implications in the real world.
The visuals State of Mind play out in are similarly as striking as the story, with realistic environments blended with low-poly character models designed to make whichever of the characters you are controlling stand out, whilst also representing the fragmentation and distortion of Richard’s life.
If you fancy picking up State of Mind you can do so on Xbox One for £31.99, or alternatively the game is available on PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.
Should you be looking for more info, our review is as good a place as any to start.
Game Description:
When mind and machine become one – what will remain of humanity? Berlin, 2048 – The world is on the brink. Lack of resources, illnesses caused by polluted air and water, crime on the rise, war. Governments and companies promise remedies through technological progress. Drones and humanoid robots replace humans in the public sector, everything is interconnected, surveillance has become omnipresent. Richard Nolan is one of the few journalists openly criticizing this development. When he wakes up in hospital after an explosion and finds that his wife and son have mysteriously vanished, Richard realizes: he and his family have become more than just bystanders in a storm of rivaling ideas pertaining humankind’s salvation between dystopian reality and digital utopia. Instead, they find themselves right at the center of it. This domestic drama evolves into a thriller about a worldwide conspiracy, which at its core aims to determine the fate of humanity: Could a perfect digital utopia be the answer? A virtual paradise not affected by material needs and quarrels? Could a super-AI be our savior – or would it simply declare us as dispensable since it could not be taught the value of philanthropy? What will the world look like after this storm, what will remain of humanity? Features: · Experience an alarmingly realistic vision of the near future · Dive into a multi-layered Sci-Fi thriller, where dystopian reality and digital utopia are intertwined · Unravel a global conspiracy in a society of ubiquitous digitalism, surveillance and transhumanism · Explore a world with a rich and unique visual style, combining realistic environments with low-poly characters · Take on the role of journalist Richard Nolan, as well as five additional playable characters · Use dexterity, deductional skill and research to reconstruct Richard’s past
