“If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?” This is the quote that kicks offCentum, Hack the Publisher’s bizarre, unsettling nightmare of a game. Over the course ofCentum’s brief but dense narrative, players will gain a deeper understanding of this quote’s relevance, but its full meaning is anything but straightforward.
This sort ofobfuscation and ambiguity defines much ofCentum, which is Lynchian in its presentation and literary in its execution, demanding an assiduous level of attention from its audience. Indeed, if stories that require academic, intellectually rigorous engagement appeal to you, thenCentumwill be right up your alley; you may very well feel like a detective, tasked with peeling back layers of an uncooperative mystery.Centumis a powerful and thought-provoking artistic work, although how effectively it uses the video game medium to tell its story is a complicated issue.
Though it dons the accouterments of a point-and-click adventure game,Centrumultimately has far more in common with the visual novel genre: it is mechanically straightforward, with the bulk of the interactivity boiling down to narrative decisions made by the player. It also boasts a few gameplay detours, such as aDuck Hunt-inspired shooter and a 16-bit driving simulation, which are novel but hardly deep or engaging. All of this is to say that anyone going intoCentumshould be aware that it is a narrative-driven experience through and through—there are precious few head-scratching puzzles or moments that reward critical thinking. It’s good, then, that this narrative is particularly flavorful and enthralling.
Centum Is a Cerebral, Uncompromising Dystopian Story
Theconcept of a rogue AIis a bit old hat at this point, especially as writers with a penchant for current events attempt to capitalize on the growing prevalence of programs like ChatGPT in their stories. Thus, the notion of a “simulation gone wrong” might come across as a bit of a bland premise for a story. If you were looking for the most efficient way to describeCentum, then “simulation gone wrong” might be an effective phrase, but the story is ultimately much more than that.
After a short boot-up sequence in a diagetic operating system, players will be prompted to open a _100.bat file, which will load them into a simulated jail cell with several interactive items. This cell foreshadows a number ofCentum’s later narrative beats, and it outlines broader themes of imprisonment, experimentation, faulty memory, judgment, and societal disintegration, illustrated by a collapsing city visible from the cell’s only window. It’s an immediately captivating first level, even if its disparate elements' true meaning doesn’t become elucidated until later.
Disorientation is perhaps the greatest single driving force behindCentum. It’s almost guaranteed that you won’t know what’s going on for most of your playthrough—even the identity of the protagonist is a multifaceted mystery. This narrative style might repel some players, which is fine, but those who can accept the story on its own merits will findCentumto be a pleasantly collaborative effort: it won’t sit you down and answer all your questions. Put fiveCentumplayers in a room, and you might just wind up with ten different theories about its story and characters.
That’s part of what makes the game so difficult to describe. The narrative is decidedly non-linear and vague, and while there are several important twists and turns throughout a given playthrough, these come about by way of the player’s own powers of deduction; veryrarely willCentumoffer the likes of an expository monologue. The game is constantly unfolding, allowing its various crevices to be illuminated, which is why players need to pay attention. I found this process to be deeply satisfying, albeit confounding and alienating at times.
Centumisn’t without an emotional core, but its lack of a firmly defined protagonist makes its more affecting narrative beats feel theoretical and intellectual rather than heartfelt. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially since the game tackles some very big ideas about reality, personality, and human nature, but it’s worth mentioning nonetheless. Wedon’t seeCentumthrough a single set of eyes, which means that the events of its story are presented without judgment or prejudice. Put another way,Centum’s story assumes the characteristics of a futuristic myth, where good and bad are simply different expressions of the natural world.
Centum’s Presentation Is Incredible
The above description ofCentum’s story might evoke radically different reactions based on personal preference, but the game’s art and music are likely to garner more widespread acclaim. Character designs are particularly striking, with so many sprites exuding a grotesque, ingenious beauty that is hard not to appreciate; I certainly won’t be forgettingCentum’s visuals any time soon. Music isn’t batting 100—the pause menu theme is a bit over-the-top, for example—but it’s generally quite fantastic as well, being uniquely unnerving.
Centumfeatures many moments where entities are generated by the in-universe AI in decidedly illogical or bizarre ways, evoking imagery that should be relatable to anyone who’s perused imagesgenerated by programs like DALL-E.
It’s especially admirable how Hack the Publisher doesn’t hogtie itself to a particular artistic style;Centum’s visual identity will shiftin accordance with specific plot elements. Particularly noticeable examples of this come about during the story’s many flashback sequences, whereinCentum’s detailed sprites are replaced by rudimentary, sketch-like animations that communicate the ethereal, subjective nature of memory. Such passages greatly deepened my emotional connection to the story in ways that I couldn’t have predicted. These instances are elevated byCentum’s exemplary prose, which is consistently evocative and eloquent.
Centum’s Gameplay Isn’t Particularly Innovative
The aforementioned pillars of theCentumexperience—art, music, and writing—are all exceptional. If that’s all you’re looking for in a game like this, then rest assured,Centumis more than worth your time. However, if you’re seeking something with gameplay that’s as deep and unique as its narrative and presentation, then you could walk away from this project feeling a bit underwhelmed.
The fact is,Centumisn’t much of a “game,” in the traditional sense. There’s no real opportunity for failure or expression through gameplay, and the only way that players engage with interactive systems is through specific instances of narrative steering. In this way,Centumis more like a choose-your-own adventure storythan a proper video game. There are some minigames, though these are extremely rudimentary and don’t do much to deepen the game’s interactive sandbox. There are some puzzles as well, but these are quite sparse and simplistic, and I found that they actually occurred less frequently the further I got in the story.
Centumisn’t going to make you jump out of your seat with gratifying gameplay, nor will it provide those “aha!” moments associated with the best puzzle or point-and-click adventure games. This makes it a game that certainly won’t please everyone, and that’s fine. But if it does resonate with you, it will hit like a truck. It’s the type of game you dream about, not because it’s a blast to play or because you’ve always wanted something like it, but because it worms its way into your DNA, scratching an itch you didn’t know you had.
Reviewed on Switch
WHERE TO PLAY
Unreliable Narrator: Centum challenges traditional gaming conventions by weaving an intricate narrative where reality is as fluid as the mind of its narrator.Mind-bending Gameplay: Navigate a series of daunting scenarios, each shrouded in uncertainty and enigma. Every click and decision is remembered, forcing you to grapple with the unreliable nature of the narrator’s hints and guidance.Shape the Story: There is no singular protagonist in Centum; instead, players shape the behavior of an artificial intelligence through their choices, guiding it towards different outcomes and experiences.Dynamic Dialogue System: Engage in conversations that influence the characters' ego states and alter the course of the narrative.Multiple Endings: With hidden variables persisting between game runs, each playthrough offers new twists, ensuring that no two experiences are alike.
Centumis currently available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Game Rant was provided a Switch code for this review.
