Analysis of Gnosia

Spawning such hits as Mafia, Ultimate Werewolf, and Spyfall, the social deduction card game genre has become a significant success over the years, forcing players to lie, coerce, and outwit their friends in order to -hope to raise their hand as a winner. . It was inevitable that the idea would eventually find its way into the world of video games, and so it did, leading to wildly popular multiplayer releases like Town of Salem, G-Mod’s Trouble In Terrorist Town, and, of course, Among Us. However, as the genre has evolved over the years, few games offer as unique a take on the social deduction experience as Gnosia. Originally debuting on PS Vita in Japan and now making its Western debut on Switch, developer Petit Depotto’s beautiful visual novel at first presents a unique elevator pitch. Like other social deduction games, it centers around the player having to root out evil alien parasites that have infected some crewmates on a spaceship. However, Gnosia is entirely single-player, removing the human element from the equation. On paper, this seems like it should do away with everything that makes the social deduction genre so compelling – after all, games like Among Us rose to fame because of the unexpected interactions they prompt between human player. But in practice, Petit Depotto manages to use its unusual premise to create a completely unique experience. Story is at the forefront of Gnosia, and the way the game weaves an intriguing narrative through an unlikely genre creates a gripping sci-fi thriller that only deepens the longer players immerse themselves in it. . The actual gist of the story is pretty simple. The player wakes up on a spaceship inhabited by a crew of strange sci-fi characters, who quickly learn that a murderous parasite known as a Gnosia has invaded the vessel and is currently harboring its occupants. Every day, the crew gets together to vote on who should be put into “cold sleep,” which takes them out of the game and potentially eliminates the hostile alien force. Whether the player is successful in clearing the ship does not matter, as success or failure results in them returning the moment they wake up on the ship. This quickly becomes the structure of the game, as the player is tasked with reviving “loops” as they try to solve the mystery behind the Gnosia invasion. Each loop is essentially an alternate dimension filled with infinite variables. They will feature different characters, put randomly selected crewmates in special roles, and, sometimes, be filled with important events that drive the game’s underlying story. The latter leads to some of Gnosia’s best moments, as seemingly innocuous loops suddenly result in terrifying character revelations or challenging alternate goals. This is enhanced by the fact that the cast of Gnosia is full of intriguing suspects to interrogate. Whether it’s the goofy, benevolent alien Shigemichi, the talking beluga whale Otome, or the mysterious Yuriko – whose terrifying past sets up some of the game’s funniest mysteries – the unfolding of each character is an absolute delight. The plot rarely plays it safe either, filling its runtime with constant twists and turns that shed new light on Gnosia’s roster or add greater perspective to some of its more mysterious moments. There’s plenty of play to hit useful story beats though, which is as much Gnosia’s gift as it is its curse. The basic structure of the game revolves around trials. Each of these confrontational meetings sees the group get five rounds to air their suspicions, defend their friends, and force others to think the same way as them. Early in the game, players will often spend their time trying to test potential threats, looking for holes in people’s strategies, or assessing things that don’t quite line up. While they need to make sure they’re actively engaging in conversations and not dominating the discussion — both of which are red flags to their AI colleagues — most keep it simple. However, as the plot progresses, things get complicated. Engineers and doctors enter the battle with the ability to identify Gnosia, meanwhile, a guardian angel is added that prevents enemies from killing teammates and a bug that – if left alive – instantly win the game. Furthermore, the player can take on the role of Gnosia himself, flipping the game on its head as they try to trick their crew mates and take them out one by one. Away from trials, players are able to communicate with crewmates and level up skills, increasing their proficiency in discussions as well as giving them abilities they can use to better identify impostors. While some are forgettable, others are essential to gameplay, such as using small talk skills to reduce suspicion or the ability to call for help to call other crewmates for backup. When there’s a particularly tricky loop to solve, Gnosia can be a fun brain teaser, enhanced by the fact that each loop only takes about 15 minutes. Earlier cycles also boasted plenty of story moments, keeping initial playthroughs exciting as the characters’ arcs slowly unfolded. However, Gnosia often feels too long for its rather repetitive premise. To beat the game’s campaign, players are tasked with filling their crewmates’ data logs, the like of which are unlocked by experiencing random events. They’re slightly easier to find with an “event search” button, but there’s still a lot of luck involved, with story beats relying on specific characters being assigned to loops and staying alive long enough. for their playout narratives. Miss these opportunities or mess them up and there is no way to restart the loop; players have to hope that they will see the event again soon. RELATED: Loop Hero Review These moments can be frustrating towards the game’s climax, when events are harder to see and the repetitive nature of Gnosia’s gameplay loop starts to wear thin. With multiple endings, players will likely end up plowing through what feels like endless reams of standard social deduction gameplay without any narrative, wondering if they’re missing some clue that will eventually turn up. the story on the path or if the slow pacing is meant to be painful. But Gnosia overcomes these issues because it is a well-integrated package. Combining a visual novel and a social deduction game and attempting to turn it into a moving, single-player, narrative-driven adventure seems like an almost unattainable goal. Still, Gnosia somehow manages to make the unorthodox blend work. From its compelling characters and unique gameplay hook to its stunning art style and engaging story, Petit Depotto has created a completely original sci-fi thriller worth putting up with some late-game pacing issues. Gnosia is out now on Nintendo Switch and PS Vita. Today Technology was provided with a Switch code for this review. MORE: Japan’s Top 100 Best-Selling Games of 2020 Revealed