Othercide uses thick yet elusive symbolism to dole out droplets of narrative between its bouts of death and recollection. Dog-like creatures sprout tentacles from their bodies or excrete poison from fanged maws. Many of the bipedal forces wear plague doctor masks and wield guns or scythes, but even they are birthed onto the battlefield from a strange black soup. In Othercide, the enemies players fight rarely strike a passing resemblance to humans. Grotesque statues jut from the surface of a strange dimension, effigies of untold horrors–or simply the ones right in front of you. Then, suddenly, a new fight takes place in an otherworldly realm ripped straight from the demonic hellscape of Kentaro Miura’s Berserk. Battles play out on cobblestone roads lit by tall, ominous lamps. Players will get a sense that Othercide takes place in a late 1800s/early 1900s era where some kind of plague has ravaged its city streets. Opening scenes flash back and forth between decades while a codex of lore details events from centuries ago. Initially, it all makes enough sense to set an eerie mood that any Bloodborne fans will be enraptured by. Othercide densely packs its story with weighty nouns, emphasizing their significance from the start. Yet there are few games of this caliber that initially capture with the eyes and ultimately follow through hour after hour. Other, familiar concepts are sewn into Othercide and yes, players may have encountered a mechanic or narrative beat before. Surely something this stylish couldn’t also play well? Thankfully, developer Lightbulb Crew used its expressive, painterly hand to thread a needle through every inch of code. I was afraid that, unlike its Gothic appeal, Othercide‘s gameplay would flounder under the weight of an unmatched aesthetic promise. Its visual palette will burrow into the memory for years to come, a game that looks so distinct.

Bathed in grey tones, stark blacks and whites, and pungent splashes of red, Othercide is a remarkable feast for the eyes.

Othercide storyline