Release Date: March 24, 2022
NORCO is an adventure game that presents an unusual vision of the future composed of elements of dystopian science fiction and southern gothic. The player explores the industrial suburbs of New Orleans in search of his lost brother.
NORCO is an adventure game mixing science fiction and genre known as Southern Gothic. It is a debut game of Geography of Robots studio.
The action takes place in the near future, in the decaying industrial outskirts of New Orleans, located near the typical Louisiana swamps. The region was the site of a civil war several years ago, which left the industry and infrastructure in ruins. Life goes on there, however.
Our protagonist returns to his hometown on a mission to find his brother Blake, who disappeared without a trace after their mother's death. Old friends and neighbors seem to have no idea what happened. However, we quickly fall on the trail of a rogue cyborg who formerly worked in the security services of a local corporation and seems to have the information we need. Getting to him won't be easy, however.
NORCO is a traditional adventure game where players explore the world, engage in conversations and solve puzzles. There are a lot of puzzles and they require, among others, finding objects in locations, collecting and cleverly using objects and manipulating devices in the game world.
The game is strongly non-linear, both in terms of story and gameplay. We regularly have to make decisions which direct the story on new tracks. Starting the game we also shape the character's past, which then influences important elements of the story.
Most of the problems also have some alternative solutions. For example, we repeatedly encounter characters who are hostile to us, and it's up to us whether we fight them, or maybe try to convince them with arguments or trickery, or simply sneak unnoticed.
NORCO offers a single player mode only.
The strength of the game is the design. NORCO uses a pixelated retro style. The explored world is very well made. Each pixelart location is a small masterpiece. In addition, the game gains a lot from the unusual vision of the presented world. It combines the sultry and swampy atmosphere of southern gothic with colorful futurism and a heavy industrial atmosphere. The end result is truly unique. The effect is reinforced by the great music composed by Gewgawly I.
Platforms:
PC Windows March 24, 2022
PlayStation 4 November 17, 2022
Xbox One November 17, 2022
PlayStation 5 November 17, 2022
Xbox Series X/S November 17, 2022
Developer: Geography of Robots
Publisher: Raw Fury Games
Age restrictions: 16+
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System Requirements for Norco Video Game:
PC / Windows
Minimum System Requirements:
Intel Core i5, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 1 GB Intel Iris / Radeon RX Vega 8 or better, 4 GB HDD, Windows 7.
Recommended System Requirements:
Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 2 GB GeForce GTX 1050 or better, 4 GB HDD, Windows 10/11.
Game Ratings for Norco Video Game.
RPG Fan: 91 / 100 by Bob Richardson
Don't let NORCO be lost to time: this is a must-play for those who don't mind a depressing tale.
TheGamer: 5 / 5 by Chan Khee Hoon
Even the perpetually overcast skies feel like a sign of what’s to come for its characters, as if a torrential rain is set to descend anytime soon. But look beyond the parted clouds and we may see a slither of hope yet. Likewise, this is the proverbial silver lining that Norco represents for the videogame industry: a modest title that demonstrates that a narrative-rich experience, made by a first-time indie developer, doesn’t always have to be overshadowed by ostentatious displays of bigger releases. Norco may refer to itself as a sort of pixel ephemera, but its adventure is a vast, cosmic tale that will be fondly remembered decades after.
Game Informer: 9.2 / 10 by Jason Guisao
I’ve never played a game like Norco, which elegantly celebrates and admonishes its cultural roots while simultaneously chronicling a strange doomsday scenario. Kay and Catherine’s shattered America is not so dissimilar from our own – burgeoning industrial complexes threaten to displace low-income families, automated systems supersede human workers, and the filthy rich work around the clock to deter upward mobility. The game isn’t always gloomy. One cool night, I sat atop City Hall and gazed at the constellations with a stranger. Hours earlier, I flipped through treasured memories on a faulty flatscreen TV. Norco is an unforgettable reminder that there’s an inherent beauty behind the madness.
Average score from votes.
![[0:30] launch trailer (console)](https://cdn.gracza.pl/galeria/filmy/640x360/705860312.jpg)
