Something nope this way comes
The last time we talked about the top-down shooter/survival horror hybrid Noct, all we had to go on were the few snippets of gameplay that were stitched together in the prototype trailer.
Based only on what I saw in that trailer, Noct still managed to easily win me over with its unique visual style and hints of Teleglitch-like gameplay. The bleak post-apocalyptic setting combined with top-down shooting gameplay looked like a perfect fit for someone like me.
Toronto-based indie developer C3sk has released a playable version of the prototype shown in that Kickstarter video and you don’t need to be a backer to get access to it. Be forewarned, though — it’s challenging. If you do decide to try it out, bear in mind that the prototype is available to the public partly for testing out the game’s systems, as well as to give players a chance to sample some of the game’s atmosphere.
“The prototype is confined to a small area where players are immediately placed in peril/danger which will not be the case of the full open world game environment,” says C3sk. “This was done so we could quickly test AI behaviours against players. The by-product of such a test results in a very challenging unbalanced difficulty level, which will not reflect the final product.”
From my time with the game last night, I’ve really enjoyed it. The world of Noct is a ball to explore. I loved scrounging through its vacant buildings, looking for usable loot. The satisfying feeling I got by taking down some of the hulking “Nope Monsters” when I’d put together a decent arsenal made all the deaths my character suffered feel worthwhile.
If you’d like to check it out for yourself, you can find links to the PC and Mac builds as well as information on controls and some gameplay tips on the title’s Kickstarter page.
