I wanted Norco to be more than it was, I think. I was looking for something in conversation with Kentucky Route Zero and Disco Elysium, and what I got was good, but it wasn’t that.
The narrative is interesting. The tone is funny and also serious in the way that real life is. The game is stunning to behold. But it is ultimately a tone piece with plot attached.
From the game’s creator: “The narrative in many ways was almost a stream of consciousness.”
It felt that. I get what they were trying to do. Represent Norco and its people in an honest way. It’s “games as vibe” and I love that shit. But I don’t think it came together for me.
I would give it a 3 if it weren’t for several visual and auditory moments that blew me away. It’s really just beautiful in so many ways.
The narrative is interesting. The tone is funny and also serious in the way that real life is. The game is stunning to behold. But it is ultimately a tone piece with plot attached.
From the game’s creator: “The narrative in many ways was almost a stream of consciousness.”
It felt that. I get what they were trying to do. Represent Norco and its people in an honest way. It’s “games as vibe” and I love that shit. But I don’t think it came together for me.
I would give it a 3 if it weren’t for several visual and auditory moments that blew me away. It’s really just beautiful in so many ways.
modern cosmic horror. i had the pleasure of visiting new orleans for a week once, and while i was there all i could think about was the disconnect between the sort of spirituality being advertised to tourists and the possibility of another world beneath all the cracks in the pavement. i wrote down these journals in the style of a lovecraftian protagonist. it was fun! so you can imagine my delight at seeing a game that is not only set in the bayou, but also knows how to construct and make rich a version of it that crosses over into cyberpunk, magical realism, dark comedy, and horror. i've been playing this game off and on for months, and sometimes i'd boot it up for just 30 minutes, read some dialogue, get absolutely lost in the synth soundtrack, and find myself doing something else entirely. i don't want to detract from how visually rich and colorful the art style is, but it really felt like i read a book. specifically, it captures that feeling of a book you can't put down. i'm not generally one to play point-and-clicks with a lot of text, at least until recently. highly recommended for people who want to play call of cthulu in a setting where half of the NPCs call you (female protagonist) "bruh"
Sights & Sounds
- Interestingly stylized pixel art that oscillates between scenes of dystopian cyberpunk decay and oddly beautiful--but often creepy--psychedelic scenes
- The music is fantastic. The credits song is a banger and worth sticking around for
Story & Vibes
- This game pulls off "weird" well. The narrative is cohesive and complete, just strange
- There's imagery and subject matter that some may find disturbing, but those facets of the game lend themselves well to plot's themes. I wouldn't call it tasteful, but it is consistent with the game's world
- Like other well-crafted adventure game worlds, the setting feels like another character. You're often given the opportunity to look at the skyline during important moments, and it's worth doing
- Despite the dour themes investigating the various catastrophic results of unfettered capitalism, the game is full of humor. If you explore enough, you'll find extended gross-out gags, darkly funny situations, and some incredibly absurd scenes
Playability & Replayability
- It's a story-focused point-and-click adventure game. You can imagine the gameplay
- The story is a lot to process, so I'm not itching to jump back in anytime soon. Wouldn't mind getting the remaining achievements someday, though
Overall Impressions & Performance
- Ran perfectly, no bugs. Won't tax your hardware too badly
- Should only take 5-7 hours to beat
Final Verdict
- 8.5/10. It's a great story. If you're into adventure games, this is one of the best of the year so far
- Interestingly stylized pixel art that oscillates between scenes of dystopian cyberpunk decay and oddly beautiful--but often creepy--psychedelic scenes
- The music is fantastic. The credits song is a banger and worth sticking around for
Story & Vibes
- This game pulls off "weird" well. The narrative is cohesive and complete, just strange
- There's imagery and subject matter that some may find disturbing, but those facets of the game lend themselves well to plot's themes. I wouldn't call it tasteful, but it is consistent with the game's world
- Like other well-crafted adventure game worlds, the setting feels like another character. You're often given the opportunity to look at the skyline during important moments, and it's worth doing
- Despite the dour themes investigating the various catastrophic results of unfettered capitalism, the game is full of humor. If you explore enough, you'll find extended gross-out gags, darkly funny situations, and some incredibly absurd scenes
Playability & Replayability
- It's a story-focused point-and-click adventure game. You can imagine the gameplay
- The story is a lot to process, so I'm not itching to jump back in anytime soon. Wouldn't mind getting the remaining achievements someday, though
Overall Impressions & Performance
- Ran perfectly, no bugs. Won't tax your hardware too badly
- Should only take 5-7 hours to beat
Final Verdict
- 8.5/10. It's a great story. If you're into adventure games, this is one of the best of the year so far
Ao longo de 2022, vários títulos de peso foram soltados, e no meio desses tantos, alguns jogos independentes passam despercebidos pelo público. Dentre esses, NORCO é um jogo que definitivamente precisamos lembrar e trazer a tona sempre que possível.
Ambientado em Norco, uma CDP em New Orleans na Louisiana, o Point'n Click de estreia do estúdio Geography of Robots coloca você na pele de Kay, um (a) ex residente de Norco que saiu pela vida em busca de respostas filosóficas internas e refletir o seu passado, mas volta quando recebe a notícia da morte de sua mãe, que por sua vez, trabalhava em uma refinaria de petróleo situada nas proximidades da comunidade. Em termos técnicos, NORCO é admirável, cheio de mecânicas interessantes, uma Pixel Art realmente admirável e uma trilha sonora muito boa, além de alternar bem e de forma coesa épocas diferente em uma mesma linha de gameplay. O jogo realmente é incrível.
Todo o jogo é melancólico e busca principalmente com um certo teor de realismo mágico e muita originalidade, propor uma reflexão sobre os males do capitalismo e da indústria predatória. NORCO é um retrato melancólico de todas as feridas da sociedade estadunidense, o fanatismo religioso, colapso econômico, desigualdade social, escravidão, destruição do planeta. Tudo aqui respira melancolia, e mesmo não conhecendo a região real de Norco, toda a região dos subúrbios de New Orleans são familiares e imersivas. É o retrato da decadência e da tristeza de uma comunidade que convive com isso e é afetada por todo o contexto social citado. Um clássico, merece ser lembrado por gerações.
Ambientado em Norco, uma CDP em New Orleans na Louisiana, o Point'n Click de estreia do estúdio Geography of Robots coloca você na pele de Kay, um (a) ex residente de Norco que saiu pela vida em busca de respostas filosóficas internas e refletir o seu passado, mas volta quando recebe a notícia da morte de sua mãe, que por sua vez, trabalhava em uma refinaria de petróleo situada nas proximidades da comunidade. Em termos técnicos, NORCO é admirável, cheio de mecânicas interessantes, uma Pixel Art realmente admirável e uma trilha sonora muito boa, além de alternar bem e de forma coesa épocas diferente em uma mesma linha de gameplay. O jogo realmente é incrível.
Todo o jogo é melancólico e busca principalmente com um certo teor de realismo mágico e muita originalidade, propor uma reflexão sobre os males do capitalismo e da indústria predatória. NORCO é um retrato melancólico de todas as feridas da sociedade estadunidense, o fanatismo religioso, colapso econômico, desigualdade social, escravidão, destruição do planeta. Tudo aqui respira melancolia, e mesmo não conhecendo a região real de Norco, toda a região dos subúrbios de New Orleans são familiares e imersivas. É o retrato da decadência e da tristeza de uma comunidade que convive com isso e é afetada por todo o contexto social citado. Um clássico, merece ser lembrado por gerações.
This review contains spoilers
I've read plenty of reviews for games where people complain about a story going off the rails. I like to think that I can appreciate a proper rollercoaster of a game, even if it's unexpected.... and I did really enjoy Norco- but ok fine I understand where these types of people are coming from now.
There's so much that I find compelling in Norco... they just spent too much attention on the Gaerett Cult; pawpaw and his jesus bloodline stuff should be violently escorted out by a bouncer; and the moment i read dialog in the shield masquerade ball I knew this game would lose me by the end.
If the game choose what it focused on differently, i would have really loved it, instead i'll just have to settle for saying it was pretty cool.
Anyway, they really nailed the tone, writing and setting here, wow it is all so evocative. Norco is blunt and murky ,heartfelt and amusing, grounded and absurd, strange and mundane, morose and striking - all of those words that come to mind are contradicting, that's how you know they did a good job of capturing life. I'm very impressed that I was able to vibe with it so much, since the game is operating in a genre that I would normally consider not my style. Maybe i'm just an easy fish to bait by putting in cool sci-fi elements
Shoutout to superduck! That sure is a concept! The phrase "internet of flesh" still lives in my mind. This unique fusion of AI and organic life is quite interesting, especially with the nuance of being a virus that mutated from a sketchy memory backup. The Quack jobs app is a neat idea on top of that.
The setting of Norco doesn't take that many steps away from the present- which is weird to say given the inclusion of Robots and AI. The writers obviously wanted to write about reality, and just take a few sci-fi concepts along for the ride. To be clear, that's not a complaint- they pulled it off great. It's super cool how they mixed diet cyberpunk elements into a place that's both burdened by its past and cynical on its future.
I was on board for the game's storytelling starting from the very beginning. I adore the intro to this game. The first imagery defining the setting is incredible and the way they catch you up on Kay's life story are incredible. They use the classic game thing of occasionally giving you text choices between the walls of text, but the ones here game really come out swinging in a way that strongly contributes to the setup of tone and characterization. (A great example is the description of kay deciding to leave despite bleak's pleading and being able to choose "I didn't care" or "I knew he'd get over it"). I've been playing a lot of narrative games that open with an interactive fiction inspired sequence like this lately- that's a trend i will continue to enjoy with great enthusiasm. Always a pleasure to see such a strong use of 2nd person.
As soon as I woke up in the bedroom i began reading the mindmap- and found it quite cool. I'm a bit disappointed that past that point it became a glorified "information learned so far" tracker. It had a lot of potential as a source for cool writing, but generally didn't live up to that beyond the family entries that you see initially. I was excited to check it every time the new notification appeared, and that was rarely worthwhile.
My favorite scene in the game is the retelling of the 3 floods the house has been through, with the addition of the 4th flood that will occur. Shoutout to all the bits in this game that remind me of the shivers writing in Disco Elysium, i adore them.
My 2nd favorite scene is the spaceship-dream-trek through the rooms of the house (with each one dedicated to a specific family member). Even amid an ending sequence filled with narrative elements I cared little for, this stood out as a very satisfying component of the finale. The game really succeeds with its storytelling centered around the family.
I love the structural gimmick of alternating between Kay and Catherine's adventure. I don't think the switching to optimize cliffhangers was really necessary though. I can respect cliffhangers in media that actually has a reason for the audience to wait, but here it feels like cowardly backing away from the current scene. Aside from that timing complaint, I like what these switches do for the pacing. I can't decide whose segments I prefer.
The memory clinic scene that Catherine starts with is fantastic. I also love all the mileage they get out of Catherine's phone. The apps are a neat idea and they are surprisingly effective given their simplicity. Having to pay to travel to locations is a cool touch, even if it's never an actual stressor. The voice memos is a cool idea for a mechanic- both for puzzles and for player note-taking.[In practice the voice memo puzzles aren't that interesting, but i still stand by it being a solid mechanic] I like the added friction of having limited memory. That seems like something that would be a quality of life hit, and it is slightly, but the way it forces you to remove irrelevant memos actually makes it a net positive in QoL. [and removing them automatically would hurt the diagetic nature of the voice memo app. The Aprocypha AR app sets up a really funny jumpscare with ditch man. Giving the phone to Kay in the present after Catherine's story concludes is cool.
Overall the Point & Click Adventure gameplay neither appeals to me nor annoys me. It's not really that involved and never had me questioning what to do next. The combat feels quite pointless. The boating in the lake section is rad, both from the writing of the dive scenes and the actual gameplay of navigating around the map. The drone puzzle has potential in its ruleset, but the actual setup is too simple.
The pixel art in this game is really pretty. The looming background Industry and Infrastructure looks especially cool. These artists have a way with lights (both natural and artificial) that just packs the game with awesome screens.
The music has some nice tracks and fits well, but otherwise didn't feel like a memorable component
There's more to be said about the writing in Norco, but it's ~7am so I'm just going to stop writing my thoughts here. There's some solid humour, characters, and descriptions spread throughout this game.
There's so much that I find compelling in Norco... they just spent too much attention on the Gaerett Cult; pawpaw and his jesus bloodline stuff should be violently escorted out by a bouncer; and the moment i read dialog in the shield masquerade ball I knew this game would lose me by the end.
If the game choose what it focused on differently, i would have really loved it, instead i'll just have to settle for saying it was pretty cool.
Anyway, they really nailed the tone, writing and setting here, wow it is all so evocative. Norco is blunt and murky ,heartfelt and amusing, grounded and absurd, strange and mundane, morose and striking - all of those words that come to mind are contradicting, that's how you know they did a good job of capturing life. I'm very impressed that I was able to vibe with it so much, since the game is operating in a genre that I would normally consider not my style. Maybe i'm just an easy fish to bait by putting in cool sci-fi elements
Shoutout to superduck! That sure is a concept! The phrase "internet of flesh" still lives in my mind. This unique fusion of AI and organic life is quite interesting, especially with the nuance of being a virus that mutated from a sketchy memory backup. The Quack jobs app is a neat idea on top of that.
The setting of Norco doesn't take that many steps away from the present- which is weird to say given the inclusion of Robots and AI. The writers obviously wanted to write about reality, and just take a few sci-fi concepts along for the ride. To be clear, that's not a complaint- they pulled it off great. It's super cool how they mixed diet cyberpunk elements into a place that's both burdened by its past and cynical on its future.
I was on board for the game's storytelling starting from the very beginning. I adore the intro to this game. The first imagery defining the setting is incredible and the way they catch you up on Kay's life story are incredible. They use the classic game thing of occasionally giving you text choices between the walls of text, but the ones here game really come out swinging in a way that strongly contributes to the setup of tone and characterization. (A great example is the description of kay deciding to leave despite bleak's pleading and being able to choose "I didn't care" or "I knew he'd get over it"). I've been playing a lot of narrative games that open with an interactive fiction inspired sequence like this lately- that's a trend i will continue to enjoy with great enthusiasm. Always a pleasure to see such a strong use of 2nd person.
As soon as I woke up in the bedroom i began reading the mindmap- and found it quite cool. I'm a bit disappointed that past that point it became a glorified "information learned so far" tracker. It had a lot of potential as a source for cool writing, but generally didn't live up to that beyond the family entries that you see initially. I was excited to check it every time the new notification appeared, and that was rarely worthwhile.
My favorite scene in the game is the retelling of the 3 floods the house has been through, with the addition of the 4th flood that will occur. Shoutout to all the bits in this game that remind me of the shivers writing in Disco Elysium, i adore them.
My 2nd favorite scene is the spaceship-dream-trek through the rooms of the house (with each one dedicated to a specific family member). Even amid an ending sequence filled with narrative elements I cared little for, this stood out as a very satisfying component of the finale. The game really succeeds with its storytelling centered around the family.
I love the structural gimmick of alternating between Kay and Catherine's adventure. I don't think the switching to optimize cliffhangers was really necessary though. I can respect cliffhangers in media that actually has a reason for the audience to wait, but here it feels like cowardly backing away from the current scene. Aside from that timing complaint, I like what these switches do for the pacing. I can't decide whose segments I prefer.
The memory clinic scene that Catherine starts with is fantastic. I also love all the mileage they get out of Catherine's phone. The apps are a neat idea and they are surprisingly effective given their simplicity. Having to pay to travel to locations is a cool touch, even if it's never an actual stressor. The voice memos is a cool idea for a mechanic- both for puzzles and for player note-taking.[In practice the voice memo puzzles aren't that interesting, but i still stand by it being a solid mechanic] I like the added friction of having limited memory. That seems like something that would be a quality of life hit, and it is slightly, but the way it forces you to remove irrelevant memos actually makes it a net positive in QoL. [and removing them automatically would hurt the diagetic nature of the voice memo app. The Aprocypha AR app sets up a really funny jumpscare with ditch man. Giving the phone to Kay in the present after Catherine's story concludes is cool.
Overall the Point & Click Adventure gameplay neither appeals to me nor annoys me. It's not really that involved and never had me questioning what to do next. The combat feels quite pointless. The boating in the lake section is rad, both from the writing of the dive scenes and the actual gameplay of navigating around the map. The drone puzzle has potential in its ruleset, but the actual setup is too simple.
The pixel art in this game is really pretty. The looming background Industry and Infrastructure looks especially cool. These artists have a way with lights (both natural and artificial) that just packs the game with awesome screens.
The music has some nice tracks and fits well, but otherwise didn't feel like a memorable component
There's more to be said about the writing in Norco, but it's ~7am so I'm just going to stop writing my thoughts here. There's some solid humour, characters, and descriptions spread throughout this game.
A fantastic, surreal adventure that's just vibes. A combination of cyberpunk bayou voodoo vibes with an insane, nonsensical plot that's dreamy and gripping
Norco is utterly captivating. It is a brief point-and-click noir thriller through a bleak cyberpunk world as you piece together the mystery behind your mother's death and search for your missing brother.
The gorgeous pixel art does a great job of painting the grime of Norco, with a soundtrack and story that all work together to capture the aesthetic perfectly. It is utterly strange and very well written, and much is left to interpretation. There are some brief "gameplay" segments of puzzle solving and even combat, but it is largely a narrative adventure. It's quite short, coming in at just over 5 hours for me but I felt that was the perfect length. Fans of this genre should definitely check this one out.
The gorgeous pixel art does a great job of painting the grime of Norco, with a soundtrack and story that all work together to capture the aesthetic perfectly. It is utterly strange and very well written, and much is left to interpretation. There are some brief "gameplay" segments of puzzle solving and even combat, but it is largely a narrative adventure. It's quite short, coming in at just over 5 hours for me but I felt that was the perfect length. Fans of this genre should definitely check this one out.
Pretty interesting narrative and gameplay. The story's premise is a very interesting blend of sci-fi and grimy noir. The music is moody, and really adds to the charm. I found myself just pausing for a bit and taking it all in. I didn't fully understand all the plot threads, but it's okay, because I still had a decent time with this game.
How dreadful must it be to spend your whole life running away from a place you will ultimately never be able to leave in any way that matters. What has been left behind gets blurred, faces lose detail, only the emotions are left, and when you try to piece it all together you can't help but focus on what is broken.
"It is a curse that I am the last to survive."
"It is a curse that I am the last to survive."
most uneventful day in new orleans
couldn’t finish bc tbh found it way too obsessed w itself. occasionally reminded me of the bit in nge where asuka is screaming like don’t remind me of those awful things, which yeah that’s impressive when a piece of media can make u feel like that but also I don’t need to feel like that?? u know?? idk man I’m sure this is like smth that the dev needed to make but it’s not smth that I necessarily needed to play or relive lol
Fenomenal. Fui engolido pelo universo do jogo, tudo é incrível e cativante e no segundo que você inicia, você é incapaz de imaginar até onde a história vai te levar. Eu queria mais desse mundo pra mim, mas acabou...
Striking prose, surreal imagery, beautiful music, and a story that is simultaneously heartbreaking and hilarious has created a gaming experience that will haunt me for years.
cool and short
weird and not all great but there's an emotional reality to this game I appreciate deeply
I wish I was smarter to fully appreciate the game - Norco is inherently poetic and non-literal, and I wont deny that a few things went over my head. But what I did pull out of Norco, it's thoughts on spirituality and religion, on family and home, and on the big black hole of Capitalism threatening to devour all, will stay with me for a long time
Really really love the art and writing in this game. Visual presentation goes hard and sells some of the characters and humor. Can't give it a 5/5 for two main reasons. One, because there were some parts where the narrative dragged and felt like I was just slogging to the next big part of the story. And two, I love adventure game puzzles (within reason), but this felt more like a visual novel with the trappings of an adventure game. Most notably, I never felt for a single moment like I didn't know exactly what I was supposed to do next. Overall, extremely solid indie story game, and I'll be keeping an eye on what Yuts writes in the future.
NORCO is a tricky one. It simultaneously has some of the best ambiance in point and click games to date - its southern gothic industrial-core setting managed to make me nostalgic for something I never lived through (I tentatively put it alongside Kentucky Route Zero in this regard) - and a mind bending story about faith, religion, capitalism and coming to terms with oneself that's part beautiful, part cathartic and part harrowing.
It also has some of the most questionable gameplay decisions I've seen in games of this genre, mainly the combat sections which are completely unnecessary and inconsequential, and some basic point and click "going back and forth" to pad out for more content. Sure, some of it helps you get even more immersed into the game, but the morsels of lore you gather along the way sometimes don't pay off the filler (I'm looking at you, city hall elevator puzzle).
The game is wonderful, but would've been better if it was just a straightforward point & click interactive novel.
Great humor, great ambiance, gorgeous pixel are visuals and a great story that will fry your brain during its last act, whose themes will surely stay in my thoughts for quite some time.
It also has some of the most questionable gameplay decisions I've seen in games of this genre, mainly the combat sections which are completely unnecessary and inconsequential, and some basic point and click "going back and forth" to pad out for more content. Sure, some of it helps you get even more immersed into the game, but the morsels of lore you gather along the way sometimes don't pay off the filler (I'm looking at you, city hall elevator puzzle).
The game is wonderful, but would've been better if it was just a straightforward point & click interactive novel.
Great humor, great ambiance, gorgeous pixel are visuals and a great story that will fry your brain during its last act, whose themes will surely stay in my thoughts for quite some time.
COMO NINGUÉM JOGOU ISSO AQ, ESSE É UM DOS MELHORES POINT IN CLICK Q JÁ JOGUEI
I just can't get my thoughts on Norco together in a coherent string of sentences, which is maybe fitting for a game whose writing has no interest in being coherent.
That's not to say that it's poorly written, but its flowery and poetic prose can be a dense struggle in a way that's a little offputting. I can't decide if I'm just not smart enough to "get it" or if the game is trying too hard to refine its audience to "the intellectual crowd". I was a big fan of Disco Elysium which isn't entirely different in style (albeit a little more playful), but perhaps the voice acting helped me take it all in.
Even by its release in 2022, it felt a little bit dated to me. One group is an obvious analogue to the far-right Proud Boys. As of the time of this review that group is unfortunately still around, but Norco may have made more of an impact if it had come a few years sooner or had gone all-in on the satire rather than having them feel like a comic relief set of goofballs. It just felt a bit surface-level and toothless. The game has a lot it wants to say about capitalism, environmentalism, disillusionment and so on, but none of it really ties together outside of vague vibes.
The way characters talk, referring to others as "edgelords" or talking about "watching hentai with the boys", feels so online in a way that is either painfully true or just kind of awkward. Although the attempts at humour should have been a way to break up the verbose writing style of the narrator, they generally fell flat.
There are a few minigames and combat sequences that feel out of place and surplus to requirements. They weren't engaging enough to be fun in their own right and felt like they were included because adventure games usually have that kind of thing in them.
Norco starts and ends strong enough, but it drags in the middle and had it been a few hours longer, I think I might have dropped off.
That's not to say that it's poorly written, but its flowery and poetic prose can be a dense struggle in a way that's a little offputting. I can't decide if I'm just not smart enough to "get it" or if the game is trying too hard to refine its audience to "the intellectual crowd". I was a big fan of Disco Elysium which isn't entirely different in style (albeit a little more playful), but perhaps the voice acting helped me take it all in.
Even by its release in 2022, it felt a little bit dated to me. One group is an obvious analogue to the far-right Proud Boys. As of the time of this review that group is unfortunately still around, but Norco may have made more of an impact if it had come a few years sooner or had gone all-in on the satire rather than having them feel like a comic relief set of goofballs. It just felt a bit surface-level and toothless. The game has a lot it wants to say about capitalism, environmentalism, disillusionment and so on, but none of it really ties together outside of vague vibes.
The way characters talk, referring to others as "edgelords" or talking about "watching hentai with the boys", feels so online in a way that is either painfully true or just kind of awkward. Although the attempts at humour should have been a way to break up the verbose writing style of the narrator, they generally fell flat.
There are a few minigames and combat sequences that feel out of place and surplus to requirements. They weren't engaging enough to be fun in their own right and felt like they were included because adventure games usually have that kind of thing in them.
Norco starts and ends strong enough, but it drags in the middle and had it been a few hours longer, I think I might have dropped off.
Gravitated to this a lot, thanks to some really nuanced writing that can bounce surprisingly easily between funny to somber. Also, it helps that, as someone who lives relatively near to New Orleans, that I really appreciated the developers' knowledge of the local culture, while adding their own unique and weird spins.
Once I got to the end of Norco I really didn't feel anything, prior to that the game had definitely got a mixture of emotions out of me but this game, one with fantastic world building, great dialogue and beautiful pixel art - this game, one I thought I would love I just felt... nothing really.
Like a cliché break-up maybe it's me and not you (Norco) but the game didn't click how I expected it to and maybe it just wasn't our time.
I sit here trying to figure why I didn't care for Norco as much as others, as much as I expected to myself.
I look to see if different endings would make me care more, they don't.
Maybe it's because some of it's comedy didn't hit? But that's not it, it made me laugh more than once and game writing is not always the best for that.
The only negatives I can really say and there are three that come to mind are all either minor or arguably not true.
Games are subjective after all I guess?
The first is the "combat" there's a few bits of combat in the game and they're basically QTE's with a JRPG-like display and really they were easy, pointless and added nothing.
I'd have much preferred the "combat" taken place in the writing, especially when we've seen how effective that can be with the likes of Disco Elysium.
The other two negative points go hand-in-hand.
The world building is good, there's a lot of detail but I felt a lot of it was front loaded or at least I struggled to make a picture of this world as easily as I should have because I was battered with it from the start before I'd even got to move a cursor.
This ties into Blake, the brother. He felt like a completely blank slate and the dialogue choices at the start which where there to help paint a picture didn't feel at all like interesting or powerful decisions.
For me, the entire game long quest to search him felt off, he felt more like a McGuffin than a character.
Considering this game is "free" and not particularly long, I may reappraise it in the future. Right now I can still recommend it but who knows, maybe my hollow feeling will actually temper expectations of anyone playing it after and they will enjoy it more.
Possibly the world's stupidest review because honestly, I think it does everything right but also it definitely doesn't but I can't figure out what.
It's me Norco.
Like a cliché break-up maybe it's me and not you (Norco) but the game didn't click how I expected it to and maybe it just wasn't our time.
I sit here trying to figure why I didn't care for Norco as much as others, as much as I expected to myself.
I look to see if different endings would make me care more, they don't.
Maybe it's because some of it's comedy didn't hit? But that's not it, it made me laugh more than once and game writing is not always the best for that.
The only negatives I can really say and there are three that come to mind are all either minor or arguably not true.
Games are subjective after all I guess?
The first is the "combat" there's a few bits of combat in the game and they're basically QTE's with a JRPG-like display and really they were easy, pointless and added nothing.
I'd have much preferred the "combat" taken place in the writing, especially when we've seen how effective that can be with the likes of Disco Elysium.
The other two negative points go hand-in-hand.
The world building is good, there's a lot of detail but I felt a lot of it was front loaded or at least I struggled to make a picture of this world as easily as I should have because I was battered with it from the start before I'd even got to move a cursor.
This ties into Blake, the brother. He felt like a completely blank slate and the dialogue choices at the start which where there to help paint a picture didn't feel at all like interesting or powerful decisions.
For me, the entire game long quest to search him felt off, he felt more like a McGuffin than a character.
Considering this game is "free" and not particularly long, I may reappraise it in the future. Right now I can still recommend it but who knows, maybe my hollow feeling will actually temper expectations of anyone playing it after and they will enjoy it more.
Possibly the world's stupidest review because honestly, I think it does everything right but also it definitely doesn't but I can't figure out what.
It's me Norco.
Norco is a brilliantly written story with strong themes and some phenomenal pixel art. There were several times I was just wowed by the prose. The writers were able to say a lot about the characters, their world and their message in only a few words or lines. The game has a sense of humor too, even when it’s dark, without getting edgy or letting a joke get in the way of the rest of the narrative.
The player like the characters will spend much of the game confused, lost, but always with a few pieces to put together to stay determined to continue. Clearly this is also a passion for the writers too, a lot of care going into recreating their thoughts and experiences of growing up in a town like this. The story builds to a dramatic ending which goes more for an emotional closure, leaving some things ambiguous. This leaves you with lots to reflect on but I can see that rubbing some people the wrong way.
Gameplay is a fairly straightforward blend of text adventure choices, simple mini games and puzzles. It’s standard stuff but one part I particularly liked was the use of an app to record certain lines of dialogue, to play it back to other characters later. It might have been interesting to take this a little further, as there were a couple times I used this but then there was no need for them.
The PS4 game I played had a few issues with crashes and the interface disappearing, but it’s quick to jump back in and I didn’t lose progress. It’s fairly short and does invite a second playthrough if you want to review the story, make a few different choices and collect trophies.
One of my favourites of 2022 from what I played, definitely recommend it if this is your kind of thing.
The player like the characters will spend much of the game confused, lost, but always with a few pieces to put together to stay determined to continue. Clearly this is also a passion for the writers too, a lot of care going into recreating their thoughts and experiences of growing up in a town like this. The story builds to a dramatic ending which goes more for an emotional closure, leaving some things ambiguous. This leaves you with lots to reflect on but I can see that rubbing some people the wrong way.
Gameplay is a fairly straightforward blend of text adventure choices, simple mini games and puzzles. It’s standard stuff but one part I particularly liked was the use of an app to record certain lines of dialogue, to play it back to other characters later. It might have been interesting to take this a little further, as there were a couple times I used this but then there was no need for them.
The PS4 game I played had a few issues with crashes and the interface disappearing, but it’s quick to jump back in and I didn’t lose progress. It’s fairly short and does invite a second playthrough if you want to review the story, make a few different choices and collect trophies.
One of my favourites of 2022 from what I played, definitely recommend it if this is your kind of thing.
Norco is a peculiar game, with a good art direction expressed through not very detailed pixel art.
It has an easy plot to follow and understand, which will make you want to keep playing so you know what will happen.
The problem with Norco, for me, is that as a game in the Point&Click genre it remains on the surface. Simple puzzles, anecdotal inventory (at most you will carry 3 or 4 objects at a time), without verbs for interaction with the environment...
In short, the story behind Norco is good, the game somewhat simple.
It has an easy plot to follow and understand, which will make you want to keep playing so you know what will happen.
The problem with Norco, for me, is that as a game in the Point&Click genre it remains on the surface. Simple puzzles, anecdotal inventory (at most you will carry 3 or 4 objects at a time), without verbs for interaction with the environment...
In short, the story behind Norco is good, the game somewhat simple.
A game I just loved the whole vibe of, from the melancholic moments to the more humorous situations. I was immediately enamored by the sci-fi dystopian swampy Louisiana, a setting I did not see before. All presented with gorgeous pixel art and equally good sounding music. Unfortunately with continuing playtime the game started to fall a bit flat for me. I liked the intimate first part more than the second, where spiritual elements begin to dominate the story. And albeit ending in a picturesque feverish dream, which I won't forget, the game kinda lost me. Still highly recommended.
Glorious realization of aesthetic and narrative in the point and click format.
This game evokes the spirit of "NOLAish" (it's more about the folks who are in the surrounding areas) in a way that is pitch perfect to me. (I lived in New Orleans for seven years so I might be wrong!)
The characters are the right type of weird and disgusting to already make the narrative one worth indulging in. Add in a genuinely unique cyberpunk story and some batshit direction and you have an excellent and compelling story.
The story works well enough on its own but it is painted with perfect visuals and audio. The dreary synths capture the mood of the game perfectly and the pixel art captures the Southern Louisiana ageless look in a way that perfectly and subtlety suggest we are several decades in the future.
The puzzles in the gameplay are many steps down from dumb old adventure game logic but also a step up from "I just need to click this thing". They're maybe modern Resident Evil in difficulty if that makes sense. Which felt good to me! I feel like adventure games (and I think this is JRPGs as well) are mostly memorable for their worlds and vibes and this level of puzzle allows you to exist in the world and interact with it interestingly, without resorting to clicking on every nook and cranny.
I got the platinum trophy on PS5 and as an added extra amazing thing this game does there is a "Chapter Select" feature which gives you bookmarks for every 30 minutes of gameplay or so. So you can go back and get all the achievements/ see alternate scenes with ease.
Just a marvelous media product with a genuinely great cyberpunk story and untouchable visuals and audio.
This game evokes the spirit of "NOLAish" (it's more about the folks who are in the surrounding areas) in a way that is pitch perfect to me. (I lived in New Orleans for seven years so I might be wrong!)
The characters are the right type of weird and disgusting to already make the narrative one worth indulging in. Add in a genuinely unique cyberpunk story and some batshit direction and you have an excellent and compelling story.
The story works well enough on its own but it is painted with perfect visuals and audio. The dreary synths capture the mood of the game perfectly and the pixel art captures the Southern Louisiana ageless look in a way that perfectly and subtlety suggest we are several decades in the future.
The puzzles in the gameplay are many steps down from dumb old adventure game logic but also a step up from "I just need to click this thing". They're maybe modern Resident Evil in difficulty if that makes sense. Which felt good to me! I feel like adventure games (and I think this is JRPGs as well) are mostly memorable for their worlds and vibes and this level of puzzle allows you to exist in the world and interact with it interestingly, without resorting to clicking on every nook and cranny.
I got the platinum trophy on PS5 and as an added extra amazing thing this game does there is a "Chapter Select" feature which gives you bookmarks for every 30 minutes of gameplay or so. So you can go back and get all the achievements/ see alternate scenes with ease.
Just a marvelous media product with a genuinely great cyberpunk story and untouchable visuals and audio.
Created and directed by Dan Brown.
This review contains spoilers
Breh
I have no clue what just happened, but this game understands the fundamental rule that all good point and clicks must follow. You got to be really funny and you gotta be a crazy ass.
Also this game has got to have some of the best pixel art in recent memory as well.
Also this game has got to have some of the best pixel art in recent memory as well.
Delirious Eyes 👁️
this is a cyberpunk world, in a not so unrealistic dystopian world, just enough to be human and to be believable
this is a cyberpunk world, in a not so unrealistic dystopian world, just enough to be human and to be believable