1000xRESIST

Do you reflect the worst parts of your parents, or the best? Do you accept the flaws of the people who raised you and work to be better than them? Is it possible to break a cycle of abuse that goes back a thousand years? This game is about the brave rioters and dissidents of Hong Kong, generational abuse trauma, forgiveness, building a better future, and stabbing tyrants to death. It's about lies and deceit, about political games upon political games, about the way people change. It's about aliens and making sacrifices to build a future worth living in. It's about [i]now[/i] and it's about [i]then[/i] and it's about how humans hate what we don't understand. It's fragility in the tangible and strength in the intangible. This game makes you hate a character and then immediately shows you why hate without full understanding is a slippery slope. It gives you reasons to despise the characters who you loved. Absolutely not a single one of the characters in this game is single-faceted. The story is confusing, but it's designed to be so. It's a puzzle you have to sort together yourself- not a super complicated one, but even having beaten the game myself I came away with unanswered questions. You're not supposed to understand everything right away, and even more than that, the game actively makes an effort to defy your expectations in ways that make sense. The most striking aspect is that people just die. People get tortured. People are beaten and murdered and blown to pieces just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. By the halfway point the game makes it abundantly clear that no one is safe, and the fact you're alive never feels contrived by some divine intervention. You're not alive because some divine being makes it so, or the universe is conspiring to put you in this position, or because it's fate. You're alive because you are, because of people, because of the actions of others, and what you do with that is the only raison d'etre you're going to get. What I came away with was an ugly cry and an ache in my tailbone. I beat the game in two sittings, and i had to actively drag myself away from the screen to go do anything else. Eating was an afterthought; I just HAD to see how this all ended. I HAD to know if there was even the slightest possibility any of these characters could have something resembling a happy ending. It's peak.

In this review, I’m going to discuss different forms and aspects of governmental oppression as they are depicted by the game. There are no specific spoilers here but be aware that I’m going to talk about certain developments in the plot in an abstract way. If that is unacceptable to you, you should stop reading here and simply get this game; it is absolutely worth it. I have to admit straight away that, even though I would recommend getting this game to anyone interested in narrative games with a deep and meaningful political commentary, I’m still kind-of torn. On the one hand, 1000xRESIST is profound, deals with interesting and timely themes and acts as a manifesto to what it means to be human. On the other hand, it is a mechanically dull game, has a bunch of fluff and a much too drawn-out finale that kinda muddles the overall message for me. There’s a lot of dreadfully slow walking in this game, navigating the main hub area can be a huge pain and there are platforming sections that range from being simply boring to downright aggravating. Overall though, I think I can see past its weaknesses in the light of such a strong core message. How do you act in the face of oppression? How do you survive in a system that controls every aspect of your life? How do you breathe when the very air is poisoned with lies and propaganda? In 1000xRESIST, the remnants of humanity, a group of clones simply called [i]sisters[/i] deal with these questions on a daily basis. In the society these sisters live in, they follow a simple dogma: “each shapen sister her domain”, each one of them performing a [i]function[/i] rather than living a true life. Individuality is reduced to nothingness, you are a [i]Healer[/i], a [i]Knower[/i], a [i]Bang Bang Fire[/i], a [i]Fixer[/i], a [i]Principal[/i] or a [i]Watcher[/i]. You’re not a person, you don’t even have a name, just a function and a corresponding color. You serve the [b]ALLMOTHER[/b], a godlike figure as old as time itself, your creator and protector from a violent alien invader called the [i]Occupants[/i]. In the course of 1000xRESIST, different forms of oppression are scrutinized. Certain events lead to societal reform and thus, we are presented with a shift from a tyrannic theocracy to a provisional government that enforces its laws through terror and fear. Even though this new form of governance differs quite significantly from what came before, it is nonetheless a totalitarian regime. Details change but the oppression persists. The people are no longer reduced to a function. Now, they have names, individual appearances through clothing and accessories. Now they can move more freely and pursue their own ideas… unless… those ideas aren’t in line with the government’s regulations. There’s an idea that this game discusses at this point and it does so in a pretty profound way. If you have [i]some[/i] freedom, if you’re free to act as you please within certain parameters, can oppression become “convenient”? After all, you know that everything is taken care of by someone else. You don’t have to deal with the complexity of the world. All the heavy decisions are made for you. Isn’t that just pleasant to a degree? It's a dangerous idea but an appealing one to many people, especially these days in an increasingly complex world where people are struggling to distinguish between the most basic truths and falsehoods. Is it worth it to overthrow a totalitarian regime if you don’t know what comes after? Even if you [b]know[/b] you are in the right? Even if you [b]know[/b] that the repercussions for actions will be fatal? “Is there a feeling worth being incinerated over?” These words are spoken by one of the game’s most intriguing and complex characters. This character embodies another kind of behavior that is all too common among people living in authoritarian societies. It’s a kind of resistance that aims to become a part of the regime oneself to break it down or reform it “from the inside”. During one of the most chilling sequences in the game, you experience first-hand how futile such an attempt is. You see how the state propaganda slowly starts seeping into their minds, how they genuinely start believing what they only pretended to believe before. This is one of the most vile and insidious ways in which dictatorships work – the all-encompassing indoctrination will get to you in one way or another and if you flinch for just a second, you may unwillingly become part of the machine you so vigorously despised. Before you know it, you are the oppressor now. You're still a victim of the system yourself, but you're a bit better off than the others. How convenient. I’m glad the game doesn’t just ask these questions without taking a stance. This is a testament to [b]resist[/b] oppression in any form. Throughout the game, the Hong Kong riots that took place in 2019/2020 are referenced directly multiple times. During those protests, more than a million people took it to the streets to fight for their rights. In the face of one of the most powerful and highly militarized nations, those people didn’t flinch. They stood up, they fought, they died, they [b]resisted[/b]. This is a call for action. To fight for freedom, democracy, individuality, justice, to question the status quo, to not give in to fear, to not let history be rewritten by the victors. Because even if you lose, your battle was not in vain. You have to fight because if you don’t… “They would say...this is how it always was. They would say...this is what the people wanted. But no. They can't say that. Because it has gone down in history... That we resisted fiercely. That we fought for a different future...until we couldn't. That legacy lives in us.”

From a gameplay perspective, it is quite rudimentary, so I think it's best to treat it more as a visual novel experience were you're in it for the narrative mainly. Good thing that 1000xRESIST has one of the best narratives I've ever experienced then. I was locked in from beginning to end, and it did not waver even once. The script, voice acting, story and visuals all culminates to create an unforgettable experience. This is one of the greats.

It's not perfect, but it's memorable and the vibes and themes do a lot of the heavy lifting. Gameplay is getting lost in a mall. It's a walking simulator, but one of the best examples that no gameplay can be better, and more than enough, than bad gameplay. Also we need more games about cults!

Truly a work of art. There is a segment in this game so beautifully sad that it has permanently scarred my brain in the best of ways. If you've played games like Nier and Signalis, this is also a must-play. One of the best sci-fi stories I've experienced. My only major critique would be that certain parts of the game feel a bit too long, but I'm also one of those OCD people who reads every line of dialogue front to back so I don't miss anything, so that could be why.

A game that can't be explained with words, it needs to be experienced so all its story, with its thousand layers and their unforgettable moments can get inside your head and never came out. Just go play it fool! You've never seen anything like this.

It's very good. IGNORE MY PLAYTIME (I left it running a few times), it's maybe an 11 hour game It doesn't give you very much in the way of gameplay or agency. It's something like a 'walking simulator'. No choices. One or two segments have puzzles but they're short and brute forceable. If you don't like that sort of thing, you won't like this. The story is challenging and open-ended. Emotional. Complicated, dense takeaways about memory, generational trauma, family, resistance, being intentional with what you take forward and what you leave behind, just a lot in general? If you want [i]uncomplicated answers[/i] from a story, you won't like this, although that's not to say that the plot itself is incomprehensible or ambiguous or anything. Writing is very engaging and fascinating, as is the voice acting. Very unusual, relatable and haunting; I don't know if [i]part of[/i] the effect is that I'm getting an Ontario/Canadian accent or what but I really enjoyed enjoyed it. Music stands out too.

A beautiful multilayered story exploring so many different themes that I would've never guessed! At many points throughout the game I thought the story was heading one direction only for it to go in another direction! Awesome and unexpected crossover between sci-fi, psychological thriller, visual novel, and themes on Asian diaspora... P.S. if you understand Cantonese in any capacity, it makes the game 1000x better ;) Highly highly recommend~

[h1]Gameplay: 7/10[/h1] [h1]Graphics & Sound: 7/10[/h1] [h1]Narration: 10/10[/h1] ✔️ Incredible composition prowess, the game manages to convey a lot with a very limited toolbox. ✔️ A deep and masterful exploration of heavy themes related to the inherited trauma as well as life in oppressive structures. ✔️ Very good rhythm, you have few opportunities to get bored in this game, partly due to the narration being punctuated by the little "platforming" passages (nothing demanding, most of the game they just force you to take a break and look around you). ✔️ The characters, even secondary ones, tend to be complex and multi-faceted. The game allows to explore a lot of their aspects, both in everyday life and in times of strife. ✔️ The explicit parallels with real life events do a good job at anchoring some of the game's narrative points. ✔️ High quality voiceovers. 💭 The 3D models of the game aren't the best, but the game does such a good job at arranging scenes that you don't really pay attention to this most of the time. ❌ The main area of the game is somewhat difficult to navigate due to the sameness of the environment. This isn't too bothersome, especially due to in-game post signs giving you directions, but it's still a bit too easy to get lost. Overall the game is really an outstanding narrative experience. Don't expect a deep mechanical gameplay, or revolutionary graphics, but it is a crazy good interactive story that I recommend to anyone.

I have to say that I'm disappointed about this game. I had expectations, though the artistic direction looked great, and the trailer was looking really nice. Nonetheless, I got bored after only completing 2 acts and then I saw there was multiple other left? Could not even finish it (disclaimer : not a story of attention span as I already played walking-sim). The why's : - As some have already stated, the game is too big for what it has to tell. You get lost quite easily. At first, you notice cute places. But then, you just end up wasting your time again and again, and, well, again; - I get it that it's a walking sim, but that is quite a LITERAL walking sim. No gameplay besides : walking, running, getting lost. No gameplay that serves the narrative. And the choices you're making, well, let's not call them choices because it won't really influence the scenario anyway; - The dialogues are nice. At first. Then, I felt that every dialogues was just forced, pretending to be meaningful while I just felt it was projecting a false depth: at some point, every sentences was "mysterious" & "enigmatic". I felt that there was a lack of balancing in the writing. I'm sad, because I don't dislike walking-sims. Actually, I loved loved loved some others (cf. Disco Elysium <3). The difference is that, besides the artistic direction, the quality of the dialogues must be peak, while, in 1000x, it just feels monotonous. I couldn't kept but noticing the same patterns in the voice acting. Got me bored too. Conclusion: If you want to play the game, at least, wait the sales for it to be worth

It's an amazing game with an amazing story if you can follow along.

When people say that video games are a unique medium for delivering stories, this is what they mean. A self-reflection provoking masterpiece. Go into it blind. Finish it in as few sessions as possible. Then go for a walk. What would you do under the heel of oppression?

Personally it's a no from me. Bland, uninterested voices speaking 'horse_ebooks' level chronically online dialogue. Couldn't get past the first chapter.

If you enjoy good stories stop here and buy this game right now. Its a visual novel. Fantastically told with great sound design. I want to expound on it more but its one of those experiences where you should go into it knowing as little as possible.

This game is all the fun parts of English class, especially if you like literary analysis. The story has a lot of deep stuff to contemplate. It always presents that stuff in fresh ways, too, so I never got bored.

One of the most beautiful stories I've ever experienced. Up there with Disco Elysium and Outer Wilds for me. I can't think of the last time I played something that examined so many themes and ideas in such a condensed time without it ever feeling like it was losing focus or coherence. Gonna be thinking about this for a very long time.

This is phenomenal storytelling and I have not been able to stop thinking about it. I sort of struggle to even call it interactive storytelling because it kind of feels as though there is even less agency than other games of its kind or even "walking simulators", but you controlling a character still changes the way you experience the story. The eye for detail in the directing and design of this game is incredible, even just the lighting alone is brilliant. There is so much consideration put into each frame. Parts of the story dip dangerously close to being inscrutable, but it is so well thought out and nails so many actual plot beats as well as emotional crescendos that it basically all works for me. There's nothing else really quite like this. I loved it.

Phenomenal writing, story, and world building. My friend and I were gripped by it almost the entire time playing through it. The game took a little bit to get going for me at the start, though, because I couldn't find a proper footing to interpret what was happening. There is a chapter in the second half of the game that was just so touching and thoughtful, something I will remember for a long time. Just a deeply honest and hopeful video game.

Incredible experience. Not without its flaws, but it feels so unique it feels impossible not to recommend it. It’s also hard to discuss without spoilers. I’d recommend not digging to far into the game, but it’s a game you play for story, less the gameplay. There’s a lot of walking around, but the developers creatively use the environment throughout and there’s some unique mechanics that add to your immersion.

Beautiful. Theres always a question of "art games art" poised by people who want the medium of games to be validated. "well movies are art, why cant games be too". These people miss the question. 1000xRESIST is art. it is art as it forces you to engage with ideas and themes. It is art as it can be something where you peer into your own soul and contemplate what the world is. as it uses the medium of games to tell its story; using player agency to force empathy, convey ideas and to hammer home its themes. It is not art because it is a game, it is art as it has meaning; the fact it uses its medium to convey meaning is utterly tertiary. It is 10 hours that engage you as an adult. it is not designed to be understandable characters, or a widely appealing plot. It is not designed to hammer those dopamine receptors or to be a bragging point. But it looks you square in the eye, and asks you to take your own lived experiences, the creators lived experiences, and to feel something. Is 1000xRESIST a great *game*? who knows. Is 1000xResist beautiful? is it moving? is it something worth engaging with in a shallow world? absolutley.

A game only in the most broad sense, 1000xResist is a masterpiece of storytelling with understated, yet incredible, voice acting. Saying any more about the story or themes would spoil its impact, but prepare for a deeply emotional experience.

Amazing game, great experience. A must-play indie for those seeking a great story-driven game !

Hekki Almo I can't even begin to spoil the amazing story in this game, it's that good. It's less of a traditional game and more of an interactive movie, where your movement primarily triggers dialogue. Trust me, this is a game that will stay with you for a very long time.

The voice acting in this was my favorite part along with the story telling. I think if you enjoy a compelling story and don't mind just walking around for a whole game, much more storytelling game if you will, then you will enjoy this, especially if you enjoy things such as evangelion I highly recc, it felt very reminicent of that

While this is more of a visual novel than a game, it is fucking phenomenal, go in blind. It is well WELL worth it.

Going to slightly break my rule on 100% achievements for this game because I already broke my no visual novels rule and you can't stop me now. Not a game. Is janky. Held back by the lack of skill of the developers. Doesn't really explore concepts as far as it should or vice versa. 9/10 experience, you should buy it.

Oh my. I just finished Chapters four and five of 1000xRESIST. The game is a masterpiece. A shockingly great narrative science fiction title. You are The Watcher. You live with your clone sisters in an enclosed city, at some point in the far future. There are six clone types. You are closest to Fixer. Fixer is summoned to go to the All Mother, the creator of the clones and the only surviving human on earth. After she leaves, Fixer contacts you. All Mother is not who she seems. She has betrayed the sisters. You reject Fixer for saying this and she is executed. Then, you begin exploring the memories of Iris, the All Mother. And you begin to suspect that something is wrong with her. That Fixer was right. If you are at all a fan of games with ingenious narratives, this is very much a game for you. It is, by far, one of the best games that I have played this year. A shockingly strong title. The developers next title will be a day one purchase for me.

I am only at chapter 2, and already it feels... I don't know. New. Surreal, but grounded in the sorrows of generational trauma, the Chinese diaspora, and themes of identity, religion, purpose. I am really intrigued by my experience so far and was often either unsettled or very melancholy and torn while playing, which is not something I say lightly

I've been crying over the same song and made me realize that this game has very few tracks and it lasted me almost 20 hours. I can't recommend this game more.

How does it feel like to live in a society, where if you take off your mask, you die? I think this game is definitely worth playing. I really enjoyed the narration and how well the messages of this story were presented. I loved the camera work in some of the more elaborate scenes. Gameplay wise, expect basically a visual novel where you can move around a bit. One thing I that I found really frustrating was how unintuitive the architecture of the Orchard is. You see a person you'd like to talk to 5 meters away as the crow flies, but you end up having to circumnavigate the world twice to get to them due to the way the corridors are laid out. I guess all that walking around helps digesting the message a bit, but the feeling of frustration remained high. Nonetheless, despite its flaws, I think it's a game with a story that can touch the heart of anyone. I strongly recommend it.

It's very hard to describe or review this game without spoiling it in any way, it has to be played. I can however, undoubtedly say that this is the most engrossing and best walking sim I have ever played. The plot starts slow, for sure, even if the initial hook is very good. It is also a game that demands your attention so you can fill the blanks and connect the threads in your brain as you go. I binged it in less than 2 days so it was easier to follow that way, unsure how it would have been over a longer period of time. Expect plenty of twists, and not bad ones! (looking at you, Expedition 33) The music while subtle - which is perfect for it - is always there giving you the right atmosphere to go with the events you're experiencing. I would say graphics and animation are the most lacking part of the game, but to be quite honest, as someone who plays retro games somewhat regularly, that didn't bother me in the least. After a while you get used to it and the performance at 1440p was 144 fps flawless for me. Anyway, game is amazing, definitely play this.

This game is phenomenal. A captivating and compelling story that is as wide as it is deep. Legitimately one of the best stories I have experienced, regardless of media category. While a graphic novel for the majority of the game, it makes use of the video game medium expertly. It combines excellent cinematography with organic exploration of the story to full extent when appropriate. The art style is unique, and despite a bulk of the characters all looking similar, their character and dialogue are fully explored and make everybody distinct.

Went in blind and was very happy with what I got. I didn't expect a VN-esque game, but it was varied enough to hold my attention with wonderful environments, mysterious characters, and an interesting method of storytelling. If you think you'll like this game from the pictures you probably will!

Is this a game? Not really. Is it one of the best stories i've ever experienced? Yeah. I can't quite discuss what makes the game so good without spoiling the narrative, but suffice to say it is a very pretty game that covers very interesting questions very well.

This game is really really deep. I only experienced about 3 hours, but can already tell this game is very important to me. The story is really... fascinating and emotional. I knew when I saw the trailer, I had to experience this game.

Listen, you're either into these types of narrative focused games or you aren't. You know who you are. If you like this stuff, it'll be your jam. Good story, inventive ways to use the medium, surprisingly good music. Voice acting is hit or miss and it looks like it was made with 50 bucks, but that can all be overlooked for a great story that really picks up steam about halfway through. It is one of those stories that feels like it could only be told properly in this format.

A very unique and captivating experience! 100% recommended.

This game reminds me of what it was like going through Schitt's Creek for the first time I really hated it at the beginning, feeling like it was cringey and trying to smarter than it actually was But something made come back after months of not touching it. And I finally understood. I kept going, and while it was struggle with how fucking awful the controls feel, I can say this might be one of the best sci fi narratives that uses the medium of games to tell some basic ideas in a unique way. This game pissed me off, it made me laugh (intentionally and sometimes not unfortunately), but it made me realize so much about how fucking unknowable everything is. I feel like I am going off on a tangent. Overall, Game is good. 7/10 Now all we have is bottomless song

I don't usually bother leaving reviews, but I am doing so now because everyone should play this. A lot of people call it a cinematic experience, and I get where they're coming from, but that doesn't do it justice. It's not a movie, even though it's pretty much a linear visual experience with very little actual gameplay. It still exists in the only medium it should exist in. One review called it like a lucid dream, and that's pretty on point. The story grabbed me be the throat and didn't let me go till the end, and I find myself constantly thinking about it. Honestly, just go play it. Read as little as possible about it, it's best going in blind.

Very light on gameplay, however if you like narrative heavy games do yourself a favour and get this game. The game is a profound work of art.

Not much to the game play but the overall experience is stellar.

A rather thought provoking game. You play as a cloned "sister" in some kind of post apocalyptic colony whose job it is to watch the others and report any insurrectionist tendencies in the populace. The game is mostly a visual novel. You walk and talk and inspect things. Outside of the very linear main story "missions" you can roam around a hub world and talk to people if you wish. There is really no gameplay in the game. But the story though? The story is quite good. There's a lot of layers of subtext and the game does not explain itself to you, you have to put in the mental work to figure out for yourself what is going on and in what order events are taking place. The storytelling does get artistic at points but there thankfully is very little pretentiousness. Voice acting is kind of middling. Music is ok. Graphics are basic. The story does make it all worthwhile, it's very engaging all the way through and you are very much hooked in seeing what happens next.

One of the most profound works of art I've ever had the chance to play. DO NOT spoil yourself of the smallest detail, go in blind and enjoy my personal narrative game of the year, which it did deserve to win.

The game is a gut punch, but in a very satisfying way. Go deeper. Go deeper. Go deeper still. Heartbreak at every level. Yes, you've been manipulated at every step of the way. But choices were made and you will never be blameless. Or forgiven. [spoiler][b]There is a false ending. If the game seemed very short and with no clear resolution, go back and select START.[/b][/spoiler] There are a myriad of endings and every choice matters. TALK TO EVERYONE. Don't advance the story until you're sure you've talked to EVERYONE. You'll see things from multiple points of view. Time and place will change. You will get confused and/or lost. This is by design; let it happen and enjoy the ride.

This is the best story game I've played in the last five years. It's the ONE walking simulator I'd still badger you to play if you hate walking simulators. Give it a chance, I'm serious. Every weird thing in it has immense payoff.

What a beast of a game. Themes of family, legacy, resistance against unsurmountable odds and the burden and joy of motherhood. It reminded me of the classic question: Which one would you prefer, Eternity or Infinity? Watcher, one of six cloned Sisters, explores her mother's -her ALLMOTHER's- memories a thousand years after humanity's end. She hopes she can perform the function her ALLMOTHER has assigned her and to one day join her in the fight against the Occupants, an alien race that spelled doom for mankind. Betrayal and revelation await her both in the future and in the past she reviews with zealot-like zeal. Is everything as it seems and is there any way to end the fighting that looms over her society? The game is a brilliant exploration of memory and the pain that comes with being the last in a long line of sacrifices made in the name of survival, how do we deal with the wrongs of our parents and how do we reconcile ourselves with that pain when the time to be parents (whether biological or otherwise) comes around. Can we overcome their sins and transcend, take the good that they showed us and leave the bad behind? How many things should we carry with us from the past and how many should we abandon to eventual oblivion and how do we choose? All of this set against the backdrop of a sci-fi society built on trauma and duty, where everyone shares the same face and only function differentiates one from the other, a place where secrets and long held grudges remain as alive as they day they came to be, whether that was a month or a millennia ago. If you can, play it. 9/10.

overwhelmingly existential and beautiful, one of the best narratives i've experienced in a video game if not the best so far. highly recommended for fans of nier and signalis, borrows elements from both but stands enough on its own footing to make a mark of its own.

I'd say it's more of a visual novel mechanically, but the story it's telling is [i]wild[/i].

Yeah it was short, yeah it seems clunky and has glitches, but none of that matters. This game starts off seemingly simple, but then you start going down a rabbit hole that just keeps going deeper with unexpected twists and turns. If you like games with interesting novel stories, this is definitely one of them! I have no idea how it can be as short as it is and have as much story as it does.

Solid 4.6/5 This game was honestly so professional in it's story telling it could've been on tv. Not to say television is above games in terms of story telling in anyway. But you don't experience this level of story telling in a game usually, even with triple a games. It has so many moving parts, so many different characters, and its woven all together beautifully by centering the characters around the themes of motherhood, connection, and the fear of letting go of memories that feel so important. The whale was never gonna fit in the backpack. But it doesn't mean the whale was ever forgotten, it was always still important. But she just didn't need it where she was going. Insane achievement. everyone on the team should feel so accomplished. Well fucking done. The music is pretty underated as well, to be able to loop over and over again in some of these scenes and still feel powerful. The DIRECTING. Fucking evangelion wants their Hideki Anno back. The VOICE ACTING. Watcher's va deserves an emmy. The art was gorgeous. By the end Knower was my favorite character, Fixer was a bitch, and the twists almost broke my neck.