Unsighted

In most sci-fi stories, it's humanity that's forced to find the courage to rise up and fight against their evil robotic oppressors. In the retro-inspired action-RPG (role-playing game) Unsighted, it's the humans that are the evil influence and the robots are the ones in need of a savior. While the overall plot might not be the deepest or stories, it's a solid narrative that sets up all of the gameplay elements nicely. You can't help but get invested in the characters, and in Alma's quest to save them (and herself) before time runs out, which brings up one of the game's more frustrating elements. The Automaton characters Alma meets, and Alma herself, all have countdown clocks representing the time they have before they run out of Anima and become "Unsighted." This time element adds an extra layer of urgency to the game, but also can rush players through the experience and force them to miss other parts of the story that could be uncovered by exploration.

Playing Unsighted feels like a throwback to some classic action/adventure franchises like Metroid and Castlevania. Players are given the freedom to explore areas all around Arcadia, though they'll need to find specific items and upgrades to grant entry to previously inaccessible area. Moving and fighting can feel a bit wonky sometimes, due mainly to the skewed perspective of the screen. This angled, top-down view makes it difficult to correctly judge elevation and obstacle placement. It's frustrating early on, but something players will most likely adjust to relatively quickly. The bigger challenge comes in combat, where Alma might get attacked from various angles, requiring split second timing to block and deflect enemies. On the upside, perfect parries will not only stun enemies for a moment, but also leave them vulnerable for critical damage counters. Once players find their groove, Unsighted repays with a nostalgia fueled adventure race against the clock that tests their skills and will keep them engaged through multiple paythroughs.