Some of the biggest AAA games are getting closer then ever to photorealism thanks to the power of the latest game engines like Unreal and modern techniques like raytracing. But are they more entertaining for it? I don't know about you, but I feel that in these AI-driven times, a bawdy game based on real Renaissance art might be just the breath of fresh air I needed.
If you hand't guessed from the name, Death of the Reprobate is a comedy, and a darkly bizarre one. Developed by Joe Richardson, it follows a character as he goes about helping with daily tasks in a small rural town... until a dark twist occurs. "It's basically Monkey Island meets Monty Python," Richardson says, and it looks both ridiculous and amazing.
There are a lot of things that intrigue me about Death of the Reprobate: the story-driven gameplay, the bawdy humour (Richardson describes it as Rabelaisian in reference to the French novelist), but most notable of all the unique art style. And the art is real.
The game uses elements from real Renaissance, Rococo and Romanticist art. It features hundreds of paintings created over many years of history, and yet somehow seems to turns that into a coherent world with its own atmosphere.
The authenticity is enhanced by a soundtrack of classical music performed by the Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Eduardo Antonello. The music was played with real period instruments and is intended to faithfully follow the time period through the game.
So is Death of the Reprobate educational as well as entertaining? Maybe. It could just turn some gamers on to historical art. Either way, it looks like one of the most refreshing and interesting games of the year (also see my pick of the best new game trailers from Summer Game Fest).
Richardson has form in this unusual style of game. His previous titles Four Last Things and The Procession to Calvary were set in the same world. Death of the Reprobate will be released on 7 November. You can wishlist it on Steam. If you want to make the move to console gaming, see the best prices on the best game consoles below.
