Depersonalization

Well, that was dark.

Drawn in by the lovely artwork, the game takes a decidedly dark and Cthulhu like turn as you descend into a world of horror, where every choice leads to a different destination and forces lurk just beyond the veil of our reality. 

You play the game as a Anan, a young man abducted by a divine being named Yog-Sothoth, who requires you enter a number of shattered timelines and attempt to fix them. You won't start investigating until you complete the prologue, which should teach you the basic investigative structure of the game as well as combat and exploration. Once this is over, you'll be be put to work for your master. You'll create human avatars and live their lives, though they will eventually gain some level of independence from Anan's control. Creating a character requires building a skill tree and picking your personality, which will lock out certain responses during an investigation - make your character too impulsive, hateful or vain and you might not be able to finish an investigation (without spending resources to unlock an option you need) so character creation requires an element of experimentation to really understand what's going on and what's required for a "good" ending. Any re-run of a chapter requires the creation of a new character, so make notes on what you picked the first time, what worked, what didn't and what you think you'll need to get the result you require.

Menu screens do much to sell the creepy nature of the game

Even with a perfect character, taking on each investigation won't be easy as the creatures you face are far stronger than you, so expect to fail more than you succeed, fighting against fate and otherworldly beings in attempt to put right what once went wrong. 

Using tabletop gaming mechanics, dice roles determine your ultimate fate, checking for success against your attributes such as willpower, sanity and luck. This chance element brings a genuine tension, as even your best plans can get wrecked by an unlucky dice roll, leaving you to scramble to find an alternative solution to whatever problem you've flunked. Equally it can be a bit frustrating, but it allows your control of the character to be that little less direct, acting as a force willing on a character and seeing how they cope, rather than lending the on-screen avatar your own skills, much like a TTRPG in real life. You can plan and manage your party, but they'll have to rely on their own innate luck to survive. 

Some options will be locked depending on the traits you picked for your character, so choose wisely (or return with a new one!)

The game relies on atmosphere to sell its horror, and the pixel art is absolutely stellar here - the reflection of a stained glass window or shafts of light in an otherwise dark room lend the game plenty of chills, full credit to the art director for ensuring that the minimalist graphical style actually works in the game's favour. The ghoulish entities you'll encounter are suitably gothic and Lovecraftian, their terror only enhanced by the creepiness of the excellent soundtrack and the rather wonderful text descriptions that describe them. 

Character designs are absolutely gorgeous, taking an Edwardian style and running with it to great effect. There's a certain air of nobility about the characters involved, with the aesthetics lending a feel of genuine Lovecraft to proceedings. I'd love an artbook for this game, 

The game itself is packed with branching storylines, multiple endings and hidden paths, it's built for replayability and pulls it off perfectly. It helps that both the story and the characters are very compelling, you'll want to spend time with them and see what other fates might await them should things turn out differently with a roll of the dice. It's also worth seeing what your alternative reactions might elicit from the game - will you anger an enemy or placate one? Hide from or confront your demons? It's a wonderfully engaging experience and quite unlike any other RPG I can remember, which given the sheer number of them makes this quite the achievement.

That's not to say that Depersonalization is for everyone - it's dark, moody and happy endings are in short supply, so if you're looking for a game that's going to leave you smiling, this might not be for you. For those with a soul that seeks darker pleasures, the game is wonderfully immersive, the descriptive text accompanying the story surprisingly well written for a Chinese game and the wonders hidden throughout are enticing but deadly. The idea of creating protagonists designed to elicit certain endings is addictive in its own right, though it can be a bit daunting. There are some excellent guides out there should you get stuck, so don't let the convoluted nature of the time-travel put you off, it does become intuitive after a attempts at a scenario - it won't hold your hand, but that makes every achievement feel more earned.

So Depersonalization is an acquired taste - dark, complex, full of mystery and requiring genuine investment from the player, if your idea of a good time is spending long nights glaring into the depths of the abyss, then this is a game tailor made for you.