Set in a post-apocalyptic version of Skopje, Macedonia, Skopje ‘83 is a first-person survival game where you must fight your way through mutated abominations and unravel the mysteries of this desolated city. As well as being a survival game, the game also features many roguelite elements such as randomized loot and random upgrades upon level up. Try to stay alive by watching your health, hunger, thirst, and sleep meter along with protecting yourself from the mutated abominations.
Gameplay
As the game starts, your player character wakes up and leaves their green test tube chamber. From there on you go through the game’s tutorial and then thrusted into the city. Much of what I understood of the game’s design of the bat was that it doesn’t really show you where to go for a majority of the game. In the beginning, you are only shown a location on your map with a tower to destroy (one of the main objectives of the game). After that, you are left on your own to explore and strengthen your character for the harshness of the city.
The game features both ranged and melee combat. Usually weapons are either found or able to be crafted with the right materials. Your starting weapon is a simple pistol, but the more you explore, the better weapons and materials you will find to add to your arsenal. One of the most important features of the game is your very own bus. Otherwise known as DOM, it acts as your own personal rest site that you can drive around the city with. Within DOM, not only are you protected from enemies, but you are able to craft tools, upgrades, and other commodities to improve DOM. One of the most important items I got right away for DOM was a storage unit. That way if I were to die, all my stored items would remain when I would respawn.
Visual Design
One of the biggest praises I could give this game is its vibrant art style. I wouldn’t use the word “vibrant” to describe the overall tone of the game, but it ends up working out in the final product. The game features a cel-shaded art style making it look similar to a colorful comic book. And despite the game’s somber and darker tone, I think the overall design of the world and enemies clashes well with the popping colors. This is also improved by the harsher black outlines.
Confusing Downsides
From my playtime of the game, I was able to understand a majority of the game’s mechanics and systems. Unfortunately, I had a very difficult time trying to figure out what I was supposed to be doing. I know that sounds redundant in that I mentioned that there are towers to search and destroy, as well as fighting bosses. The problem I faced was knowing where to go in the city. I understand that, by design, this game does not want to hold the player’s hand. It is liberating knowing that once you’re past the tutorial, you can go almost anywhere you want. But there’s also a problem in that some locations don’t convey the idea that they’re important and that the player should check it out. This doesn’t apply to everything as there is a major part of the city that is walled off and you have to progress the game to find a way in. Most of my playthrough involved going into buildings and taking loot. There have been some areas where I needed to turn back from and return with better upgrades and equipment. But when I did, it was just more of the same. Slightly better loot but overall, nothing too drastic of changes compared to the regular buildings.
Depending on who you ask, you may or may not enjoy the game’s in-game countdown timer. From the getgo, I could understand what the timer was there for. Explore, loot, and craft as much as you can before the timer hits zero. The problem lies in not knowing where to go or what to do. As mentioned before, the game does not hold your hand, but it would be nice to find things like hints in the game’s world or in your journal. There is a character who communicates with you throughout the game and even tells where you can go for that objective. Unfortunately, if you missed on that dialogue while you were fighting an enemy, you can review it again. There’s nothing in the journal nor are there any indicators on the map.
Conclusion
Depending on how you play and enjoy games, Skopje ‘83 is very divisive in that regard. Some people may like a game where it doesn’t hold your hand and you’re allowed to explore wherever. There is enjoyment in finding things out on your own, but even that has its limits when you end up repeating the same moments with very little change. This is a hard game to recommend to most people and it feels like one where you would need a guide to help you through it. The gameplay and art style carry this quite well, but the lack of direction is one of the main proponents knocking it down in terms of enjoyability.
