Return NULL - Episode 1

I'd say the music is definitely the best part about this game. Even though there's a distinct lack of sound design, and the gameplay could do be more interactive, the story doesn't fail to be interesting even when it falls into commonlike tropes. I think it's a nice start, hopefully we'll get to see more of it, it's hard to judge something through a pilot. Personally I'd like to see some improvements on the interface (minor stuff) and I believe voice acting could help a lot. In terms of characters, I have to say that besides the broody protagonist, the female leads, Sarah and C, are very likeable and well written. C is my favorite, even though I can't quite place it. All and all, a small taste of hopefully more things to come.

Quick review: This is a low budget but nicely envisaged BEGINNING to a story set in a dystopian future. The art is of a comic book style and reasonably well drawn. There is no animation and no voice acting (I don't find this a big problem) but the plot so far makes me hope that this could turn into an engaging and enjoyable story. The puzzles are traditional point and click style inventory puzzles that are sensible but too easy. You'll get through the chapter in around an hour. I don't feel chapter 1 was worth paying for on its own purely because it is so incredibly short. More detail: Return NULL has a few things that are very promising. The writers have created a dystopian future world that is, initially at least, interesting and a main character with some depth and a back story that makes you want to know more. From playing the first episode I really, really hope that this develops into a full blown well written science fiction story. However the first chapter feels more like a taster than a proper first chapter to a game. It's not even as much as some games offer as a free demo. I think comments about the low budget sound and visuals are a little unfair given the cost of the game but if the developers want us to believe that this is a story worth hearing, they should have given us a a bit more detail. This could have been in the form of more characters to interact with, a few more locations to explore, or a few more puzzles. I really hope that when the developers get the funds they will make a more substantial chapter 2 but I'm not holding my breath.

Game isn't as bad as most of the reviews state. It's just a very short text point & click game. If you know that ahead of time going into it you won't be as disappointed. Story has it's perks but isn't too in depth. Worth the purchase if you can get it under $1 for steam cards and a quick/cheap story.

Jack is a member of the local force, in a world where downtown is equal to a prison, at least, for the upper citizens, not aware of the reality. However, one day, his pregnant wife got killed in an explosion and he never recovered from that. Now ousted from the force, he's contacted by the same terrorists that need his help. Is what Jack always believed in really the truth? Return NULL is an episodic adventure game in a dystopian world, where those living downtown are oppressed by the authorities, without really a perspective to survive and with the truth being hidden to the upper citizens (though they can be thrown down to what is described as a prison/jail). The story is interesting as we meet Jack before the death of his wife and after he's ousted from the forces because of the depression that followed. While Jack wants revenge, he's convinced that maybe the truth isn't the truth and is now ready to take down the society he once swore to protect. Everything is centered around plans of a bomb, even in the second episode. However, I will only concentrate on the first episode as the second is available as a DLC and I will not spoil it. So, this introduction is interesting as you're leading a depressed yet determined Jack in the streets of this upper part of the city, not realizing of what is really happening down there (Jack himself isn't really sure of what to find, even if he knows the truth about it) or being afraid of the local forces, as people are taken and never seen to return. The gameplay is a point-&-click game: you speak with people, you interact with them, you find items, you solve puzzles. There is nothing extraordinary added to Return NULL on that point and it's working perfectly. However, as it's a game with choices to make, you can expect some impact on the story (nothing really major, apart on the dialogues). It's just the way you will behave with people and how you will blame yourself on your wife's death. Besides, you can be met with a gameover as you have some action in the game. What I liked in that game is also the graphics. I loved how the characters are depicted in a comic style. However, there is no real animation in the game. You're just in a static background. Jack isn't moving around, you're just pointing on where to go or where to interact and it's done like that, like in a casual adventure/hidden object games. I also liked the soundtrack. However, there are no voice acting. You just read the dialogues as in a comic book. I really liked this first episode though I found it short, even if some parts of it seems long (but it's the time taken to find how to solve some parts). It was a good premise for the story to come and for the price, it's not a waste of money - at least, for the first episode. I'm giving you a warning ahead for episode 2: I don't know what happened but it wasn't as good as this one. I'm still waiting for episode 3 to make a conclusion for the whole series....

[h1]KOSTENLOS[/h1] "Return NULL - Episode 1" ist die erste und kostenlose Episode eines unfertigen Point-and-Click Adventures aus dem Jahre 2015. Wir befinden uns mal wieder in einer dystopischen Zukunft. Wir sind Jack Drebin, Mitglied des Sicherheitsdienstes des autoritären Regimes und verfolgen Terroristen. Ein Einsatz entwickelt sich aber ganz anders als erwartet. Spielmechanisch wird der Titel zwar als Point-and-Click vermarktet, er ist allerdings mindestens ebenso sehr eine Art Visual Novel. Die Geschichte wird in zahlreichen Zwischensequenzen präsentiert und ist streng linear. Einflußmöglichkeiten haben wir dabei so gut wie keine, auch wenn einige Dialogoptionen den Anschein erwecken mögen. Und so erleben wir denn die recht kurze erste Episode der Geschichte und bleiben ein wenig ratlos zurück. Die anfangs interessant wirkende Geschichte entpuppt sich rasch als recht flach und klischeebeladen. Das wäre an sich noch nicht so problematisch, denn allein schon der Comic-Stil läßt keine erzählerische Tiefe erwarten. Allerdings sind die Figuren und Situationen dadurch dem Spieler herzlich egal, auch wenn das Spiel sich um Emotionalität bemüht. Und so dümpelt das Spiel denn in einer Belanglosigkeit umher, die verstehen läßt, weshalb nur zwei Episoden gemacht wurden. Kaum jemand wollte wohl wissen, wie es denn weitergeht. Technisch ist das Spielchen zwar meist in Ordnung, allerdings kann es zu Problemen beim Laden von Spielständen kommen. Die gezeichneten Grafiken kommen über recht nett nicht hinaus. Die viel zu laute, qualitativ schlechte und nicht einstellbare Musik geht Einem so auf den Geist, daß man nach kurzer Zeit die Lautstärke runterdrehen muß. Natürlich kann man sich die erste Episode dadurch, daß sie kostenlos ist, mal anschauen. Da aber für die zweite Episode - die einzige, die noch existiert - Geld verlangt wird, kann ich selbst das nicht wirklich empfehlen. [h1]Wertung:[/h1] 5/10 Atmosphäre 5/10 Story 5/10 Grafik 3/10 Sound 5/10 Spielmechanik 3/10 Balancing 5/10 Spielspass [h1]Fazit:[/h1] Unfertig und uninteressant. [h1][b]5/10 Gesamtwertung

For the price its quite good basically for what is does. I really liked the storyline and the actions parts of the game like shooting. But basically its better to brake it down in parts. [b] Graphics 5/10[/b] Overall the graphics are not that great. The backgrounds are quite good and have some form of detail but the characters are non-detailed and that really annoying me from scene1. [b] Sound 7/10[/b] I loved the music background.It fits perfectly with the mood of the game. I hope they can increase only the quality of some SFX like the soothing or some minor ones but generally its really good. [b] Story 7/10[/b] Really nice one. They make you understand whats going on from the start but without giving you too much details and also make you get “attached” with the main character for what happens to him. At some points felt some TV series episode, but i must confess that i had some issues with going to fast at some points with the story. [b] Gameplay 6/10[/b] Simple enough basically. You don’t have to make anything ..difficult… mostly click to progress the story except some few moments that you have shoot so you much lick the bad guy at the right moment before he shoot you back. UI its also simple and nothing to talk about really. Basics but functional. I wish they can implement most interactive parts, like the shooting. Something like defuse a bomb, open key door or something like that. Its too static and you can feel that after some time. [b] Overall 6/10[/b] For sure its not the best but NOT the worst game. I enjoy the story and i hope the Part 2 will be as good as this one. With some fixes and implementations this one can be really one of the top of his category.

Also von der Story fand ich Episode 1 schon recht gut. Aber sie ist einfach sehr kurz. Und Episode 2 wird wohl auch nicht viel länger sein. Episode 1 ist gratis. Da kommt zumindest kein großer Ärger auf. Vom Gameplay eine Point & Click Visual Novel. Setting eine futuristische Welt und man ist ein Cop der zum Beginn einen persönlichen Schicksalsschlag erleidet. Danach ist es aber auch schon fast wieder vorbei mit Episode 1. Das Spiel ist von 2015 und es gab nur nur eine weitere Episode von 3 oder mehr geplanten Episoden. Insofern ist Episode 1 nur ein Appetizer auf ein Cliffhanger. Aber eigentlich nicht schlecht und gratis. Ob man dann für Episode 2 und ein unfertiges Produkt Geld ausgibt muss jeder selber wissen. Für Episode 1 jedenfalls einen Daumen nach oben.

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