Nocturne: Prelude was released on March 3rd of this year onto the Steam platform by publisher and developer Pracy Studios. It is an indie, RPG adventure game with rhythm action and combat gameplay. It features a compelling plot that explores the idea of the afterlife as a digital world, where the dead live on as uploaded content in an online society called Maya, a place governed by a robotic AI and plagued by dangerous creatures and degradation. Players travel the digital world as the main character, which they can name themselves, as they slowly learn more about the world, other characters, and their own characters. This first chapter successfully acts as the perfect prelude to what looks to be a promising game series.
Since the story of the game takes place in an online afterlife program, the pixelated art-style can be especially appreciated here. As shown in the photo above, the setting, Maya, is also a rundown world. Much of the areas in the game are large plots of empty space, meant to give the player plenty of opportunity to run into enemies to battle as they move from one area to the next. Despite its simplicity and destruction, the landscape of Maya includes lots of beautiful nature such as waterfalls and grassy hills. Scattered across each area of Maya are little objects and spots of “corruption”, meaning, like a corrupted file, certain areas of Maya have been damaged. These corruptions have a “glitch” appearance that I liked because they added some character and mystery to the otherwise standard, pixelated landscape. The design successfully conveys the intended imagery of a world that used to be beautiful that has come across hard times. Lastly, as expected of a rhythm game, the music is excitingly upbeat and exhilarating, especially in the combat scenes.
If you really hate rhythm games, you probably should not play this game, but if you don’t completely hate rhythm games and just don’t like them, I suggest you still give the game a go for the story. I say this because the game has A LOT of unavoidable, random rhythm combat that can get annoying. However, it is a short prelude, so it is understandable why there are so many small battles in between the relatively few quests you complete to finish the chapter. I don’t usually play a lot of rhythm games, so I had to put the game on easy mode to complete it but, even without easy-mode, the game has a lot of add-ons for the character to make combat easier and the add-ons are not hard to get or find for those of you who have actual experience playing a rhythm game. Simply explore the world a bit and you can find several pieces of equipment, which are accessories you can put on your character to increase their health, attack power, etc. The combat stressed me out even on easy mode, but I never had to worry about my character dying.
The best parts of Nocturne: Prelude are the characters and plot. Things progress naturally, and nothing feels rushed or forced. The dialogue is also natural and sweet. The pacing at which players get to know Maya is perfect for a prelude and end up leaving lots of room for more to be added to the story. The order at which things were learned was also great, as every new detail about Maya or our main character seemed to get more and more interesting. I found the protagonist characters endearing and adored the relationships between characters. The antagonist of the plot is already setting up to be interesting and the main conflicts of the game leaves players wanting to know more; there are several simultaneously operating plot points to be interested in (Nocturne, Maya, Yama, the MCs brother). The emphasis on sound and silence in light of the main characters unique abilities and the rhythm game play itself were delightfully complimentary aspects of the game. I am anticipating the next chapters!
9/10
Check Out the Nocturne: Prelude Steam Trailer:
Nocturne: Prelude is available for free for PC via Steam.
Steam Review
I am an aspiring writer particularly interested in helping write video game storylines and scripts. I prefer games that aim to strike a balance between compelling stories with character development and fun and immersive gameplay. Some of my favorite games include Until Dawn, Detroit Become Human, and both the Call of Duty and Resident Evil game series.
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