The immersive sim genre is seeing a resurgence of titles that prioritize gameplay mechanics over graphical fidelity, a trend embodied by Banana Hardsoft's upcoming game, Parkside: Decayed Soul Manipulation. The game, which is slated for release on July 31st but features a playable demo, draws inspiration from classics like System Shock and Deus Ex.
Players step into the shoes of Alexander, a hacker operating in a dystopian world. The narrative begins with a System Shock-esque premise: hacking too deep into a system results in immediate repercussions, as heavily armed individuals breach Alexander's location. However, the antagonists are not a monolithic corporation, but a zealous organization resembling the Catholic Illuminati, with a mysterious agenda involving the 'Divine Rod.'
Despite its deliberately cryptic storytelling, often conveyed through symbols and non-sequiturs, the core gameplay loop encourages player exploration and diverse approaches to objectives. Alexander can remotely pilot a combat-ready body equipped with various augments, including cloaking, defensive capabilities, and the ability to possess individuals. These enhancements can be activated using experience points earned through exploration and completing tasks.
Player choice extends to navigating the environment. The game's maps are designed with multiple pathways, including vents and ledges, allowing for verticality and alternative routes. One player experimented with enhancing their character's speed and jump height to attempt scaling a building, though discovering hidden paths proved challenging.
A distinctive feature of Parkside is its approach to saving. The game eschews traditional save systems, instead offering limited "Divine Elixir" items that function as one-time-use checkpoints. This design choice aims to prevent save-scumming and encourage more deliberate play.
Encounters in Parkside can unfold in unexpected ways. In one instance, a planned infiltration by scaling a building failed to yield a direct path. However, the discovery of a dead soldier on a nearby rooftop revealed a valuable asset: a large assault rifle. This weapon proved effective against the target, but also alerted numerous law enforcement units. The situation escalated quickly, forcing an escape. The game also introduces vehicles, adding another layer of emergent gameplay, as demonstrated by the player escaping the ensuing chaos in a car.
Parkside: Decayed Soul Manipulation is set to launch on July 31st and appears to capture the spirit of early Deus Ex titles, offering players a high degree of freedom in how they approach its challenges.