1000 Deaths occupies a weird space: it’s simultaneously one of the most unique games I’ve ever played, and also one of the most familiar – in a can’t-quite-put-my-finger-on-why kind of familiar, admittedly, but familiar nonetheless.
On the one hand, there’s something about it that evokes…I don’t know, the early- to mid-‘90s? The early 2000s? Some other time entirely? It’s a mishmash of bright, psychedelic colours and impossible angles that almost feels like it could’ve emerged from the dawn of 3D platforming on the N64, but that also feels like it could’ve come out of a cult PS2 classic like Psychonauts. There are also elements that will remind you of Adult Swim, or Tim Burton, or of Double Fine, or of any number of semi-forgotten/half-remembered media from a few decades ago.
But at the same time, I can’t quite put my finger on what 1000 Deaths reminds me of, specifically. It’s undeniably a retro 3D platformer, but not like any that I ever played – now or then. You could rattle off any number of influences that are sort of there, but it still feels like its own kind of thing.
It’s also worth noting that despite the aesthetic that evokes the past, the gameplay also feels undeniably modern. The way the game plays with perspectives and gravity, the way it’s always looking for new ways to kill you, the constantly present timers that feel like the game is meant for speedruns, the way it asks you to make choices that impact the outcome of the game – all those things make 1000 Deaths feel very of-the-moment.
Combine it all together – the modern gameplay with the lost media aesthetic – and it adds up to make 1000 Deaths one of the most interesting platformers you’re likely to come across. While there’s certainly no shortage of retro-tinged 3D platformers that have very identifiable influences, I don’t think I’ve played one yet that evokes the past without being tied to it the way 1000 Deaths does. For that reason – and also the reason that it’s pretty good – it’s very much worth your time.
Pariah Interactive provided us with a 1000 Deaths PC code for review purposes.
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