Version tested: Pc Steam.
Let's do this, as if you were immersed in the middle of reading a Librogame, yes like those of Dungeons & Dragons a few years ago, where ... "if you want to go on, read from page XX, otherwise the story ends here".
Well, are you ready? Say No! More costs € 14,99, lasts about 90 minutes and its gameplay consists of saying "NO!" pressing space.
"Now, dear adventurer, if you want to read the rest of the story, because there is a story, go to -What game is it? -, otherwise, your review ends here."
What game is it?
Say No! More is the first RPG in the world (Game where you have to answer NO!), Developed by Studio Fizbin, independent German team and published by Thunderful Games, already known to most for having produced Curious Expedition 2 (here is the our review of the game).
This is one of those projects, which turn out to be very indie, even within the indie scene. A bit like being punkabbestia in the punk-rock context.
Our alter ego, which we will have to customize at the beginning through a decidedly extravagant and fun editor, is a new intern of a mega company; from the outset it is clear that the working environment humanly speaking is not the best, to put it mildly, and the degradation immediately hits hard by discovering one's workstation and duties.
What you immediately realize is that the company's employees have been lobotomized like real Yes! Man. Close to being absorbed in this whirlwind of unbridled servility, we accidentally come across an old hidden cassette player, which almost hypnotically sent us to press play. It is here that we meet our "NO!" Guru, a kind of audio cassette course that teaches us to pump up our self-esteem, without fear of responding negatively when necessary.
Our only panacea during the first bad day of work is lunch, jealously guarded in a basket, prepared by our dearest friend and roommate; but hey !? Didn't he say "bad day"? Exactly, the basket is violently taken from us by one of our superiors and here, our adventure-climbing-revenge begins, punctuated by the sound of “NO!“.
Why play it?
The developers have succeeded in a great feat: looking at the trailer, rather than the early stages of gameplay, the style, the music, we will be directed to get a pretty clear idea of the kind of soul that the game will have, and instead ta-daaa : after a first half hour spent between laughter and at least bizarre events, the game enters the most emotional sphere of the deepest player, touching heavy topics such as loneliness, depression, hypocrisy, loves and pains.
What follows is an emotional shock for the player, who suddenly finds himself eagerly wanting to conclude the story to make sense of what happened (the whole story develops in 24h in game, ed), tight in a solid emotional bond with your avatar.
There will be epic and hilarious moments as well as final twists, at the end of a story, as short as it is intense.
Last but not least: the game, unexpectedly, given the small scale of the production, is localized in Spanish, excellent thing given the many dialogues, very frenetic.
Why not?
Simple, because as gamers, if you are looking for gameplay here it is not there: ok, the game tries to increase our skills as we play, but in reality you will spend an hour and a half pressing without any request for timing, coordination or other. , three or four buttons in all, no more, no less, as you would do to run a power point presentation.
Without having the presumption to do the math in your pocket, but in our opinion, even the € 14,99, is not exactly an attractive price to push the average player to have a different experience, as Say No certainly can be! Blackberries.
Final comment
Say No! Blackberries it is a (little) interactive experience; original and uncompromising style, deliberately over the top, if at first it captivates us with shot colors, electrifying music and hilarious scenes, dissecting it thoroughly you discover a heavy heart, full of contradictory emotions that lead the player to live an experience albeit short but intense . Perhaps the price is not exactly aggressive, but if you want to try to get out of the canonical paths of gaming, this title could be for you.
