The future is here: cybernetic enhancements are plentiful, and flying transport is the norm; security guards and police are assisted by robotic security drones; everything is glowing. But these rose-tinted LEDs are hiding the squalor and terror that the average person is living in. And for Setyo, not even the shadows are safe. But he’ll do anything to protect his sister.
Rendezvous is the gaming debut for developer Pendopo Creations. The game is a beautiful and atmospheric cyberpunk adventure in a 2.5D world, making the most out of the second dimension by surrounding it in the third. The game features impressively beautiful and expressive pixel art, making the world truly feel incredibly alive and genuine. This is complimented by its impressive soundtrack, making the most out of ambient sound and leaning heavily into its futuristic aesthetic. Paired with its mastery of Audio Mixing for sound effects and ambient noise, as well as its occasional impressive voice acting, the world becomes incredibly genuine and alive. The game looks and sounds stunning, and I cannot give enough credit to the team for their impressive level of polish.
In Rendezvous, you play as Setyo, a young man trying his best to run from his criminal past and keep his head low in the day to day squalor of average life in Bay City. Working as a security guard at an engineering company, he’s fallen into a simple routine: go to work, get a drink at the local bar, go home and sleep. The only deviation to his schedule is sending money to his sister, a more rebellious person living in another town. That is, until he realizes that he hasn’t heard from her in a while, and his old life comes knocking on his door to tell him she’s in danger. Despite his reluctance to get back into his old ways, Setyo will do anything to keep her safe, so its back into danger for him to find her and figure out what’s going on.
As Setyo, you’ll find yourself running from place-to-place chasing down clues and solving hacking puzzles. If you’ve got experience with “pipe” puzzles, that’ll come in handy, and it’ll make you feel as skilled of a hacker as Setyo is. But you aren’t just solving puzzles, you’ll also find yourself sneaking around to dodge enemies, ducking under cover and diving between lines of sight. You’ll also solve a puzzle that’s much easier to think through than it is to complete: “why are your enemies no longer conscious?” (Hint: The answer is “whatever you can get your hands on.”)
The gameplay, while basic, is quite charming and enjoyable, making this very narrative-driven game feel more interactive and fun than your average text-based game. I will admit that the stamina system in place feels a bit too restrictive when you’re trying to sprint from place to place, but as soon as you’re in a situation where you need to manage your stamina for stealth, combat, or fleeing, it feels much more appropriate. I can understand not gutting an essential system outside of its uses, so this complaint is a very minute one and speaks volumes about how tightly the game is balanced and packaged.
Overall, I enjoyed my visits to the cyber-streets of the world of Rendezvous. The gameplay, while relatively simple, adds to the player’s input and enjoyment of the story. Even the most minute details have been polished up to perfection, and I can imagine that the story gets even crazier and more interesting from here. I’m looking forward to continuing my adventures and seeing just how far Setyo will have to go to protect his family. (…put that way, it feels a little morbid, but you know what I mean.)
I would rate Rendezvous a solid 8 out of 10. The game is well made and incredibly designed, and I look forward to seeing what this studio puts out next. If you’re in the mood for a bright yet moody future, why not take some time to visit Neo-Surabaya? I’d say I’ll meet you there, but I think that’s a given.
Rendezvous is available for PC via Steam.
Related: Reviews by Aaron Grossmann
Gaming is a passion that I, like many other people, hold near and dear to my heart. As an aspiring Game Writer and general Storyteller, I enjoy looking into the vast worlds and deep stories of every game I can. Then again, sometimes bad guys just need a good pummeling, and I am more than happy to provide!
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