Everyone Is Finally Playing 1000xResist. Better Late Than Never

Summary

• Play Harold Halibut, Death of a Wish, Indika, Arctic Eggs, and 1000xResist - they're worth it.
• 1000xResist is a standout indie game, gaining momentum and recognition.
• Unique narrative, bold visuals, and great gameplay make 1000xResist a must-play indie gem.

People are finally taking my advice. I’m not going to say I’m the ultimate authority on video games, but if you listened to me you’d have already played Harold Halibut, Death of a Wish, Indika, and Arctic Eggs. Wait, I haven’t written about Arctic Eggs yet. Watch this space.

These games have gone largely under the radar this year, but you owe it to yourself to play them. Alongside Balatro, these are some of my favourite games I’ve played this year. Sure, I finished Dragon’s Dogma 2 and dabbled in Hades 2, but they don’t come close to what indies have done so far this year.

One such great indie was 1000xResist, which I played as a part of LudoNarraCon. It’s one of the games turning 2024 into the Year of the Nun (an article since backed up, incredibly literally, by Indika), and something more people should check out. Luckily, people seem to be heeding my wishes, and I’ve seen more reviews pop up over the last couple of weeks than when it was released.

With industry big hitters like IGN and Eurogamer finally publishing their (glowing) 1000xResist reviews, it’s finally entering the public consciousness. This isn’t what happens to most games. Without a big push on release day, many small games can falter and fail to make the splash they need to survive.

1000xResist might be doing things a little bit differently – although not intentionally, of course. After a slow start, during which I was desperately imploring colleagues and friends to give it a try, it’s slowly picking up momentum as more and more players discover that it exists and want a piece of the dystopian action.

Why Is 1000xResist Good?

“But why is 1000xResist so good anyway?” I hear you ask. Oh wait, that was the subheading? Never mind, I’ll tell you anyway.

1000xResist puts you in the shoes of Watcher, one of six cloned ‘sisters’ who lead a small civilisation in the future. You worship the Allmother, the being who you are all clones of, and it’s your task to figure out who the deity really is, what happened to the world, and why you exist in the first place.

After a shocking opening cinematic, you travel to the past to learn of the Allmother’s history, and enter the memories of your sisters in order to gain new perspectives. This is taken quite literally at times, with different memories shifting from the game’s third-person presentation to first-person, fixed camera, and even side-scrolling action.

1000xResist isn’t afraid to take risks when it comes to narrative or mechanics. The script is great, if a little melodramatic, and the voice acting brings it to life. I understand that indie games have incredibly low budgets, but the addition of vocal talent to narrative games can make them come alive. I couldn’t think of playing Disco Elysium without the narrator nowadays. And, if 1000xResist can do it, then massive triple-As like Pokemon have no excuse.

Just Look At It

That’s all well and good, but the thing that will pull you into 1000xResist is its visuals. Striking and stylised, it’s giving Nier: Automata. Most of all, though, is how powerful it looks. When travelling through time (yes, using that Titanfall 2-esque mechanic) and defying gods, it needs to look powerful.

Many people have pointed out similarities to Neon Genesis Evangelion in 1000xResist’s style. I haven’t seen it, but if you have you can come to your own conclusion.

1000xResist supplements its evocative aesthetic with great gameplay and dialogue that directs your eyes exactly where the developers want them. I mentioned the camera angles and script earlier, but tied in with the art style they have new importance. A fixed camera angle obviously dictates where your eyes land, but an offhand comment from an NPC can completely change your inner perspective on what’s happening in a scene.

1000xResist is a masterful, intentional sci-fi narrative that ticks all the boxes for me. I’m glad more people are playing it, and I hope it achieves the success it deserves.

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