Paratopic is…an experience.
This is going to be one of the hardest reviews I’ve had to write, simply because I really like Paratopic, but I have no idea why. It’s utterly confusing, has little interaction, and certainly isn’t the prettiest game to look at, but there’s something about it that really pulls me in. Perhaps it’s the soundscape, that slightly unsettling horror vibe, or the feeling of everything almost making sense, but that sense being just out of reach. That uncertainty makes this quite a hard game to recommend, but I recommend it for those gamers that are into the surreal.
The plot of Paratopic is something that shouldn’t really be spoiled, but spoiling a story that I barely understand is difficult, so I’ll go ahead with a little synopsis. You play as an unnamed character who is tasked with smuggling VHS tapes that seemingly have some sort of power over people. You also play as another character who appears unconnected to this, and simply seems to get caught up with events. It’s not always clear which character you’re playing as, as the game switches between them at different moments, so part of the fun of Paratopic is piecing together the narrative by determining who is where at what point.
It’s Lynchian levels of madness, even over the game’s very short run time of under an hour. If you like shows such as Twin Peaks and Chanel Zero, where the plot is very engaging without always being very clear, then this is something that will probably take your fancy, if only from a plot point at least.
The gameplay itself is very simplistic, and in most cases you’ll simply be walking from one place to another, following a path until the next character switch occurs. Along the way you may well have to shoot a gun, or use a camera, and often drive a car for long stretches, but most of your interaction will come in the form of conversations with other characters. You’ll get a few options, some of which will simply give you more information, but occasionally you’ll be forced down one path or another depending on your dialogue choices. Different events will occur if you go down certain routes, but the gameplay itself will remain mostly the same.
The conversations are interesting, as they give hints to this world and just how mad it is. These VHS tapes seem to be of great interest to some people — resulting in some unpleasant results — and there are suggestions of alien interference, and bizarre creatures that seem to exist just out of sight. It’s like being inside an SCP file where half the data has been redacted, but that feeling that you’ve almost got it figured out drives you to the end, and to play it again to discover more. The fact the speech feels like it’s garbled, mumbled English also frustrates and intrigues in equal measure. Listening to the radio in the car sections was maddening as I tried to work out what the presenter and guests were talking about, knowing it was likely relevant somehow. Ultimately though, I was left with my own conclusions.
The visuals are a choice that also makes sense for the same reason. Everything is there, but feels just a little bit off. Characters have faces, with features in the right place, but even with the low-poly and low-res effect, you can tell that they aren’t quite right. It certainly adds to that unsettling nature, especially when you are caught out by the few shocking moments. I wish the environments were a little bigger, as I feel there’s some scope for more exploration that could hint at other events in this slightly mad world. The unsettling sounds and music are great additions too, and once again feels just slightly wrong enough to fit, but be a little out of sync with the world.
With all of these positives, I still find it both easy and hard to recommend Paratopic. It’s insane, but in the most engaging way. It’s mechanically simplistic, but you’ll want to play again to uncover more. It’s incredibly short, but the money feels well spent as what’s there is surprisingly engaging. If you’re interested in bizarre narratives and games that will stretch your idea of what a video game and its plot can be, then this is certainly something that’s worth a look. It really isn’t for everybody, but I do feel that it’s worth a play at least once. You certainly won’t forget it any time soon.
Paratopic is available now on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One/Series consoles.
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