Centum: A Cerebral, Uncompromising Dystopian Masterpiece

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As someone drawn into the enigmatic world of Centum, I find myself pondering over a familiar yet cryptic scenario: “If I had a hundred sheep and one strayed, wouldn’t I abandon the ninety-nine on the hills to search for the lost one?” This quote sets the stage for this bizarre, unsettling journey published by Hack the Publisher.

Throughout Centum’s concise yet layered narrative, players unravel the intricate connections between this quote and the game’s dark, surrealistic atmosphere. However, the full significance of this quote is far from obvious, offering an enigma that invites exploration rather than immediate understanding.

In essence, the enigmatic and puzzling nature pervades the narrative of “Centum“, making it reminiscent of the style of David Lynch in both its portrayal and writing. This piece demands a high level of focus from its viewers, as if they were detectives unraveling the intricacies of an unwilling riddle. If you appreciate tales that challenge your intellect and require scholarly engagement, “Centum” is tailored to suit your tastes; you might even find yourself immersed in a detective-like quest. While it’s a profound and stimulating work of art, the question of how skillfully it employs the medium of video games to convey its story is a matter of debate.

Despite its appearance of being a point-and-click adventure game, Centrum shares more characteristics with the visual novel genre. The gameplay mechanics are simple, primarily focusing on choices made by the player to progress the story. While it offers some side games like a shooter reminiscent of Duck Hunt and a 16-bit driving simulation, these elements are not particularly complex or immersive. Essentially, Centum is predominantly a narrative experience with minimal puzzle-solving or critical thinking challenges. However, the storyline in this game is engaging and interesting, making it an enjoyable experience for those who prefer a strong narrative focus over intricate puzzles.

Centum Is a Cerebral, Uncompromising Dystopian Story

The idea of a malicious AI has become somewhat cliche nowadays, considering many authors who focus on contemporary topics are leveraging the rise of systems like ChatGPT in their narratives. So, the plotline of “a simulation gone awry” might appear as a rather uninspiring setup for a story. However, if you were to succinctly define Centum, then “simulation gone wrong” could be an apt description, but the narrative is far from being limited to that.

Following a brief startup process within the game’s internal OS, players will encounter a prompt to open a .bat file (100.bat), which initiates a virtual prison cell filled with interactive objects. This initial setting hints at several upcoming narrative elements in Centum, including themes of imprisonment, experimentation, memory issues, judgment, and societal decay, as seen through the backdrop of a crumbling city visible from the cell’s solitary window. The opening level is engaging right away, although its various parts may not fully reveal their significance until later.

In essence, the core element that propels the game “Centum” is disorientation. You’ll likely spend a significant portion of your gaming experience confused about what’s happening, even the main character’s identity being a complex enigma. This unconventional narrative approach may not appeal to everyone, but those who can appreciate its unique qualities will discover that “Centum” is an engaging cooperative experience. Instead of providing straightforward answers, it encourages discussion and interpretation. Gather five players together, and you might find yourself with a dozen diverse theories about the game’s story and characters.

The game’s complexity lies in its intricate, non-linear storyline that doesn’t follow a conventional path. Instead, it relies on the player’s ability to decipher clues, as expository monologues are scarce. The game’s secrets gradually unravel as you play, making it essential to stay alert. I found this challenging yet rewarding experience both puzzling and isolating at times.

Centum isn’t devoid of an emotional depth, but its unique structure, lacking a clear main character, gives its most poignant moments a more intellectual and theoretical feel rather than a deeply personal or emotional one. This isn’t inherently negative, given that the game delves into profound concepts about reality, identity, and human nature. However, it’s worth noting this aspect. Unlike many stories told from a single perspective, Centum’s narrative is presented without bias or preconceived notions. In essence, the story of Centum takes on the qualities of a future myth, where morality is seen as diverse manifestations of the natural world, rather than as absolute definitions of good and evil.

Centum’s Presentation Is Incredible

The narrative of the game Centum could spark contrasting feelings depending on individual tastes, yet its art and music are expected to win broader approval. The character designs stand out remarkably, boasting a unique blend of grotesque and ingenious beauty that’s hard not to admire; I find myself still captivated by the visual style of Centum. While the music isn’t perfect – the theme on the pause menu is a bit excessive – it’s largely impressive, offering an unsettling yet wonderful soundtrack.

The fictional world of Centum frequently showcases instances where artificial intelligence produces entities in a manner that seems irrational or peculiar, reminiscent of the creative outputs we see from AI art generators such as DALL-E.

Centum stands out for its flexibility in artistic style, allowing it to adapt to the narrative’s key elements. This is most apparent during flashback scenes where intricate sprites give way to rough, sketch-like animations, capturing the dreamy, personal quality of memories. These transitions significantly enhanced my emotional engagement with the story, providing a depth I hadn’t anticipated. The high-quality writing in Centum consistently stirs emotions and is eloquent throughout.

Centum’s Gameplay Isn’t Particularly Innovative

In the mentioned realms of Centum, art, music, and writing truly shine. If these aspects are what you’re primarily after in a game such as this, I can confidently say that Centum is definitely worth your investment. However, if you’re yearning for a gameplay experience that matches its captivating narrative and visuals, then you might find the project slightly lacking in depth compared to your expectations.

Essentially, Centum deviates significantly from conventional gaming norms. It lacks elements like failure or gameplay-driven self-expression, instead focusing on guiding the narrative via interactive instances. In essence, it’s more akin to a choose-your-own adventure novel than a traditional video game. While there are some basic minigames included, they don’t contribute significantly to the game’s overall interactivity. Furthermore, puzzles are present but infrequent and simple, with their occurrence actually decreasing as the story progresses.

The game Centrum doesn’t deliver the exhilarating play experience that leaves you on the edge of your seat or offer those “aha!” moments characteristic of top-notch puzzle and point-and-click adventure games. However, it may strike a chord with some players, and when it does, it will have an impact similar to a truck collision. It’s a game that might not appeal to everyone, but if it resonates with you, it will burrow deep into your core, satisfying an itch you weren’t even aware of existing.

At the moment, you can find Centum across various platforms including PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, personal computers, and Nintendo Switch. In this review, we were given a Nintendo Switch code by Game Rant.

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2025-03-11 19:14