Exogenesis: Perils of Rebirth

Exogenesis: Perils of Rebirth for PC and PSV is an adventure game with visual novel elements. It’s a debut production of Filipino studio Kwan.

Plot

The action takes place in post-apocalyptic Japan. In 2069, Durchhalten, a group defining itself as treasure hunters (and called looters by the rest of the society), has stumbled across a powerful, but undefined artifact. Unfortunately, during exploration of one of the ruins, the girl called Miho activated a trap, and has lost her life as a result. This tragedy has forced the group to disband. Only the girl’s brother, Yu (the player), has continued the search. Two years later, he has finally discovered that the artifact of which search had ended tragically is the Noah’s Ark, constructed by an ancient civilization and thought to have had the power of recreating anything that ever existed in the future. Our hero decides to find the treasure and use it to resurrect his dead sister. He won’t be able to do that without enlisting the help of former Durchhalten members.

Mechanics

The authors were mainly inspired by games such as Zero Escape, or Ace Attorney series. This means that Exogenesis: Perils of Rebirth is a hybrid of traditional adventure game and a visual novel. The directing of the story is more in style of the latter genre. During the gameplay, the player is busy with following the extensive narration, and from time to time, has to choose one of a few alternative paths. These decisions push the story onto one of a few courses, with each having its unique subplots and a unique ending. This means that to experience everything the game has to offer, we’ll need to finish it a couple of times.

However, in opposition to typical representatives of the visual novel genre, Exogenesis: Perils of Rebirth contains strong adventure game elements, requiring exploration and solving typical puzzles. There are numerous riddles, and each one of them is closely entwined with the plot. Their presence enriches the gameplay, making it much more interactive than what is offered by typical visual novels.

Last updated on 29 May 2014