Wtf do you even say about this one? Just like it's predecessor, you start off fine, thinking it's some standard cop drama with some surreal and bizarre elements to it, and then two chapters in it goes completely off the rails and you are holding on for dear life without any shoes on.
Hard to imagine this was 2005 cellphone game, when it feels so modern and fresh playing it today. Once again, Suda throws everything and the kitchen sink at you without much care or thought about if you are gonna be willing to take it, understand it, or survive through it. The ambiguity of a concrete villain transitions from the first game right into 25th Ward flawlessly and even more abstracted, and the sequel continues on with the dystopic and post-modern study of the information age, with a very thought provoking, comedic and bitterly cynical tone.
There's a definite upgrade in aesthetic and sense of identity present in 25th Ward when compared to it's predecessor, with the character's artwork being stylized in very strong and harsh colors that give off the sense of reading an adult oriented comic book, and with the soundtrack being much more unique and diverse, having a mixture of jazz, rock and electronic tunes that perfectly fit the disorienting experience of 25th Ward. Additionally, the CGI that serves to represent the setting that you interact with are much stronger in visual style, giving off a much more surrealist vibe that so aptly describes the city of 25th Ward.
Suda pumps the accelerator on this one, bringing the narrative to it's breaking point and shattering every single trope and convention you thought were essential to keep a story intact. The line between where the player starts and the characters you control ends is destroyed beyond repair, creating some of the most poignant and mind shattering 4th wall breaks in videogame history. The "gameplay" is an absolute farce, having you repeat mind-numbing and inconsequential task that will have you questioning what even is your role in the middle of all this and if it's all a sick joke. It's a culmination of everything Suda has been interested with in the medium, a truly Punk game.
It's insane to think this game would have been lost forever if not for the recent remake. I don't expect you to enjoy 25th Ward if you don't know what you are getting yourself into. Hell, it's highly likely you will hate it. But you gotta give the best VN ever made a try at the very least.
Hard to imagine this was 2005 cellphone game, when it feels so modern and fresh playing it today. Once again, Suda throws everything and the kitchen sink at you without much care or thought about if you are gonna be willing to take it, understand it, or survive through it. The ambiguity of a concrete villain transitions from the first game right into 25th Ward flawlessly and even more abstracted, and the sequel continues on with the dystopic and post-modern study of the information age, with a very thought provoking, comedic and bitterly cynical tone.
There's a definite upgrade in aesthetic and sense of identity present in 25th Ward when compared to it's predecessor, with the character's artwork being stylized in very strong and harsh colors that give off the sense of reading an adult oriented comic book, and with the soundtrack being much more unique and diverse, having a mixture of jazz, rock and electronic tunes that perfectly fit the disorienting experience of 25th Ward. Additionally, the CGI that serves to represent the setting that you interact with are much stronger in visual style, giving off a much more surrealist vibe that so aptly describes the city of 25th Ward.
Suda pumps the accelerator on this one, bringing the narrative to it's breaking point and shattering every single trope and convention you thought were essential to keep a story intact. The line between where the player starts and the characters you control ends is destroyed beyond repair, creating some of the most poignant and mind shattering 4th wall breaks in videogame history. The "gameplay" is an absolute farce, having you repeat mind-numbing and inconsequential task that will have you questioning what even is your role in the middle of all this and if it's all a sick joke. It's a culmination of everything Suda has been interested with in the medium, a truly Punk game.
It's insane to think this game would have been lost forever if not for the recent remake. I don't expect you to enjoy 25th Ward if you don't know what you are getting yourself into. Hell, it's highly likely you will hate it. But you gotta give the best VN ever made a try at the very least.