A demo for "Future? No Thanks!", an upcoming open-world city game from satirist Paulo "Molleindustria" Perdicini, is now available on Steam. The game places players in the role of a "bitter old boomer" spending his final day in a world described as an "ecosocialist paradise."
The demo provides approximately 30 minutes of gameplay, introducing players to a world featuring elements like sentient toilets, cricket burgers, ornamental park guillotines, and cannabis vending machines. The game's humor and tone are described as acerbic and lightly caricatured, with the satire extending to both the perceived flaws of the new society and the protagonist's outdated worldview.
Players control Harvey Huffstone, who has applied for euthanasia under the society's universal healthcare system. To qualify for a "self-scheduled" death, Harvey must complete a bucket list of tasks generated by an AI. These tasks, such as having a cigar or a "real steak," highlight the anachronistic nature of his desires within the new societal framework. The abolition of intensive animal agriculture, for example, makes obtaining beef steak a notable challenge, with explanations provided by in-game characters.
The game also pokes fun at established open-world conventions. One task involves ceremonially gathering sticks, a nod to the trope of hidden rewards in such games. The game's Steam page features character art that parodies the box art style of the Grand Theft Auto series.
Gameplay primarily involves conversations between Harvey and various characters, including cooks, students, and engineers, who are depicted as unimpressed but supportive. The writing is noted for its academic inflections, referencing concepts like "heterotopia" in a Foucaultian sense. A humorous detail includes a volume of Marx's "Capital" translated into a "Cyberpunk 2077 language" found in the library.
Described on its Steam page as "an artisanal game made with locally sourced talent and zero capitalists, marketers, or profiteers," "Future? No Thanks!" aims to imagine a political project distinct from the prevalent dystopian themes in gaming. The full game is expected to last around six hours, featuring seven non-linear quests. It is scheduled for release on July 22nd.