Booth: A Dystopian Adventure
- March 14, 2020
- Guanpeng Chen
- 7h median play time
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Get on itch.io Store"Booth: A Dystopian Adventure" is a narrative-driven game set in a grim, dystopian world. As the player, you take on the role of an enforcer for a totalitarian regime, facing moral dilemmas and making choices that impact the story. With its distinctive art style and immersive atmosphere, Booth explores themes of power, corruption, and the human condition in a society on the brink of collapse.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Booth offers a captivating story with engaging characters and multiple endings, making it highly replayable for players who enjoy narrative-driven games.
- The game features beautiful pixel art and a pleasant soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere, immersing players in its dystopian setting.
- Gameplay is challenging yet rewarding, with a unique food inspection mechanic that keeps players engaged and invested in their character's journey.
- The lack of proper controller support can make gameplay frustrating, especially for players using devices like the Steam Deck, as mouse controls can feel imprecise.
- Some players have reported issues with the game's pacing, feeling that the work tasks can become tedious and detract from the story progression.
- The translation quality has been criticized, with numerous typos and awkward phrasing that can break immersion and affect the overall storytelling experience.
- story107 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally praised for its engaging narrative, emotional depth, and the impact of player choices, which enhance replayability. While some players find the pacing uneven and the gameplay repetitive, many appreciate the intriguing world-building and character interactions that contribute to a rich storytelling experience. Overall, it is recommended for those who enjoy story-driven games, particularly within a dystopian setting.
“Didn’t expect the story to be so gripping and draw you in.. and the choices really matter so there's replayability!”
“Papers, Please is beautiful because within its simplicity and lack of dialogue and complex controls, it still manages to tell an emotional story.”
“The story is well written and elegant; it is even philosophical in a way that has made me think back on my real-life experiences.”
“The art and mechanics are okay, but the story writing is terrible.”
“I was hooked on the story from some let's players, but even the best story could not redeem what I found dull, repetitive gameplay.”
“Now let’s talk about the one bad part, after a while in the game something will happen and you will be in a very story heavy part of the game; however, this story content is broken up by the main gameplay part of the game; eventually you will arrive at a part of the game which I will not try to spoil which will be very story heavy however the game will break up the story sections with more of the gameplay loop of being a food inspector and personally it felt rather jarring to me.”
- gameplay60 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay has drawn comparisons to "Papers, Please," with many players appreciating its engaging mechanics and challenging tasks, particularly in food inspection. While some find the gameplay repetitive or frustrating at times, others enjoy the variety and depth it offers, especially when tied to the game's compelling narrative. Overall, it is recommended for fans of task-oriented gameplay, though it may require patience due to its difficulty and potential for monotony.
“I actually found myself liking the gameplay more in Booth, not because it was necessarily easier, but because I could get a good rhythm going with the different tasks, and it never felt like it was dragging on too long.”
“The gameplay creates tension of a dystopian regime whose ever-invasive presence isolates you.”
“A strong plot, a lot of variety in gameplay, and an overall challenging experience!”
“The gameplay is decent, but the missions can be annoying at times; also, the instructions are a bit easy to miss (maybe some text highlighting would be nice).”
“The main gameplay, food inspecting, is stressful and easily screwed up, causing a domino effect for a day, and while it sounded great, it wasn't interesting or rewarding.”
“The work gameplay takes up too much of the player's time because after a while it ceases to be fun.”
- music28 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its pleasant and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the overall experience with a beautiful soundtrack that complements the pixel art style. While some players find the music inconsistent and note a lack of memorable tracks, many appreciate its ability to evoke emotions and contribute to the game's unique narrative. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, adding depth to the gameplay and story.
“Good music, good art, and generally good characters; it's a stable recommend from me.”
“The music is simple, but really lovely.”
“The music and art style contributed beautifully to the atmosphere and story.”
“The music was cute, but there was only about 5 minutes of memorable music total.”
“I find the music to be somewhat inconsistent in quality, and you do not get to see many different locations until several hours into the game, at least in my experience.”
“The music is hit-or-miss.”
- atmosphere12 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Booth" is widely praised for its well-crafted, dystopian setting that effectively immerses players in a grim yet charming world. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a strong sense of mystery and tension, enhanced by its music and art style, although some suggest that improved audio could further enrich the experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as compelling and emotionally impactful, drawing comparisons to other notable titles in the genre.
“Booth is an atmospheric, well-crafted slice-of-life simulation set in a dystopian world which you cannot explore freely in a traditional sense.”
“Booth is a charming game with a uniquely grim setting and atmosphere.”
“The music and art style contributed beautifully to the atmosphere and story.”
“This is a shame because the other locations really help build the world around the core location, and I think improved audio could really enhance the game's atmosphere.”
“There is a very depressing atmosphere in this game, much like 'Papers, Please', but the booth manages to interweave a much stronger sense of mystery and progression into the game.”
“When the game starts out, it does a good job of grabbing your attention and developing atmosphere.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 91 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful pixel art style, which effectively captures the unique near-future dystopian setting. Reviewers appreciate the engaging visuals that complement the rich narrative and immersive atmosphere, enhancing the overall gaming experience. The combination of appealing aesthetics and functional design contributes to a captivating and enjoyable gameplay experience.
“Great graphics and a great story that keeps you interested.”
“The pixel graphics are pleasant to the eye and perfectly reflect the environments and scenes presented in the game.”
“Aside from the gameplay, there is great music and a beautiful pixel aesthetic art style that perfectly captures the near-future dystopian setting.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while many players appreciate the gripping story and meaningful choices that lead to multiple endings, some criticize the lack of features like dedicated save slots and conversation skipping, which hinder quick exploration of different paths. Despite these drawbacks, the game's length and challenging nature contribute to its replay value for those willing to invest the time.
“Didn't expect the story to be so gripping and draw you in, and the choices really matter, so there's replayability!”
“The universe the game is set in is really interesting, and in general, the game is fun and replayable.”
“Also pretty lengthy and challenging, it has high replay value as well, as the story changes based on your actions.”
“Very poor replayability, where there's no dedicated game save slot or skip conversation feature in order to see different story branches or endings quickly.”
“I feel the pacing is too slow at the beginning and rather fast in the later part of the game, which further hurts the replayability value.”
“There is roughly 8-10 hours of content if you only want to play through once, but it definitely has replay value.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
"Papers, Please" is praised for its ability to convey a deep emotional narrative through simple gameplay and minimal dialogue, creating an intense and touching experience. Players find the atmosphere, particularly towards the end, to be both challenging and emotionally resonant, highlighting the game's unique blend of fun and emotional depth.
“Papers, Please is beautiful because within its simplicity and lack of dialogue and complex controls, it still manages to tell an emotional story.”
“Behind the simple and monotonous gameplay lies a very intense, exciting, and emotional story.”
“Absolutely a fantastic game in every way; it's not only fun and challenging to play, it's just as challenging emotionally.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find that while the grinding aspect can be enjoyable, pursuing multiple endings requires significant effort, which can lead to a tedious experience. The repetitive nature of the gameplay is often described as dreary and can detract from overall enjoyment.
“It's good, but if you want multiple endings, it's going to require tons of grinding (hope you like the gameplay).”
“While technically there are no issues, the dreary and dull assembly line becomes a tedious chore too early.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's strong character development, noting it surpasses many other dystopian titles in terms of world-building and character depth.
“I'm halfway through the game, and it's just way better than some of the dystopian games out there in world-building and character development.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted to be lacking, with few cute or funny collectibles and hidden dialogues to enhance the experience. Overall, players feel that the comedic elements are minimal and do not significantly contribute to the game's charm.
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is well-optimized, with players reporting smooth performance and no bugs or issues during their playthroughs, even after extended gameplay sessions.
“My first playthrough was about 9 hours, and I experienced no bugs or performance hiccups of any kind throughout.”
“The game runs smoothly on my mid-range PC, showcasing excellent optimization.”
“I was impressed by how well the game performs even on lower-end hardware, making it accessible to a wider audience.”
