Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory
- December 21, 2023
- Cyanide Studio
Get on Steam"Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory" is a CRPG set in the futuristic Alpha Complex, where citizens live under the rule of the all-knowing Friend Computer. As a RED security clearance Troubleshooter, your mission is to seek out and eliminate any threats to Alpha Complex while being wary of potential traitors. With a focus on action and intrigue, it's a game of suspicion and survival in a society where treason is punishable by summary execution. Stay alert, trust no one, and keep your laser handy.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game captures the humor and narrative style of the original Paranoia RPG, providing a fun experience for fans.
- There are unique interactions and scenarios based on dialogue choices, adding depth to the gameplay.
- The aesthetic of Alpha Complex is bright and colorful, aligning well with the game's theme.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs and lacks polish, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- Gameplay is repetitive and lacks meaningful mechanics, making it feel dull and unengaging.
- The overall presentation is bland, with low-quality graphics and limited character variety, failing to meet modern gaming standards.
- story17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The story of the game features a mix of engaging character interactions and unique mission elements, but is marred by significant bugs and frustrating design choices that hinder progression. Players appreciate the personality of teammates and the potential for unique endings, yet many find the overall narrative experience lacking excitement, particularly in the later missions which become repetitive and combat-heavy. Overall, while there are moments of intrigue, technical issues and pacing problems detract from the storytelling experience.
“That being said, I went in with low expectations and was surprised at the amount of personality and interactions your teammates are given within missions.”
“Where bringing certain teammates can activate unique interactions and even side missions.”
“I didn't find the two that I saw overly exciting, but it was cool that they approached me for a mission along with the members of the secret society and being part of them unlocked a unique ending.”
“The game has returned me to the mission but the door is now closed again and I can no longer interact with the terminal to open it, so I'm stuck and cannot progress.”
“During my playthrough, I only experienced one major bug, where I was told to report to the friend computer for debriefing and when arriving, the debriefing wouldn't start and I was unable to continue the mission.”
“One thing that did turn me off a bit was towards the end it became mostly long missions of going room to room dealing with combat after combat.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for effectively capturing RPG humor and providing an enjoyable, narrative-driven experience. However, some players feel that it undermines its comedic potential by steering away from humor at times, which can detract from the overall comedic experience.
“I feel like this game captures the humor of RPGs; I'm having fun playing it.”
“The game is meant to be narrative-driven and humorous.”
“It's a comedy game that actively steers you away from the funny!”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay is largely criticized as lacking, with some users noting that while there are complex mechanics and routing systems in place, the overall experience, particularly in the endgame, is disappointing.
“That being said, this game has a lot going on under the hood in terms of mechanics and routing.”
“Gameplay is non-existent.”
“The endgame, in terms of gameplay, was terrible.”
“That being said... this game has a lot going on under the hood in terms of mechanics and routing.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally considered unremarkable and lackluster, with some users noting that they detract from the overall experience. While the aesthetic is deemed appropriate, issues with camera controls and frustrating gameplay elements further diminish the visual appeal.
“The aesthetic is right.”
“The dialogue is the star of this show, not the lackluster graphics.”
“Major cons: the graphics are subpar, camera controls are too limited, and the vending machine hacking will make most people quit before the end of the first mission.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is criticized for being significantly compromised by numerous frustrating bugs, leading to a recommendation against purchasing it in its current state.
“I don't recommend buying this in its current buggy state.”
“It's pretty buggy and some of the bugs are really frustrating.”
- music2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is criticized for being lifeless and bland, contributing to an overall lack of engagement and enjoyment. This lack of variety in the soundtrack mirrors the game's other shortcomings, such as character design and combat mechanics.
“The music is lifeless.”
“The music is very bland, the characters look cheap and have no real variety in appearance, the combat is subpar with poor AI for the player characters, and it just isn't fun at all to play.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game is perceived as exploitative, with users labeling it a quick cash grab that fails to justify its price, suggesting it would have been more acceptable at a lower cost three years ago.
“In comparison to that decade-old game, this one looks to be a quick cash grab.”
“Three years ago this game may have been worth $30, but today it is just a cash grab.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the mid-game section, particularly the dungeon crawl in the underplex, to be a tedious and repetitive grinding experience, detracting from overall enjoyment.
“The mid-game section, [spoiler]the Underplex[/spoiler], was mostly just a big tedious dungeon crawl.”
“Grinding feels like an endless chore rather than an engaging part of the game.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay invested in the story.”
