Developer: PanicBarn
Publisher: No More Robots
Rrp: £15.49 (Gog.com and Steam)
Released: 17th August 2018
Available on: Gog.com and Steam
Played Using: Mouse and Keyboard
Approximate game length: 12 Hours
Normally I’d write up some small piece of fiction relating to the events of the game, however with this game I don’t think I can. Or rather I don’t want to. Brexit has been something that has brought so much heartache and misery to myself and my family. Its threatened my business and generally made life much harder…. anyway enough harping on about it, lets get to the review itself.
Not Tonight is a post-Brexit management game set in 2018 where the political party of Albion First (not at all a parody of Britain First) has managed to take the UK out of the European Union. However it doesn’t stop there, along with leaving the EU the ruling party has declared anyone whose family hasn’t been in the country for at least two generations has to be reapply for citizenship or be deported (after a period of processing). You get to play as some poor bugger who is set for deportation. However its going to take a while for that to happen and in the meantime you need to earn money so that you can cover the rent of the crappy flat you’ve been ‘assigned’ as well as the bills. Thankfully the UK government has managed to find a job that suits your skills, being a bouncer.
Your job as a bouncer is to check peoples ID to make sure they’re over 18 years old and that the ID is in date, at least that’s the job at first. Quite quickly you end up having to also check their photographs, gig tickets, dress code and country of heritage… and it doesn’t stop there. The more people you correctly allow in the better your payday is and the more experience you get. Gaining experience unlocks better equipment that makes your life easier, such as a clicker that you no longer need to manually click with your mouse but instead can use a keyboard shortcut.
However when you let people pass that you shouldn’t have done (or incorrectly turned someone away) you get warned, then fined and eventually lose your job. This can be a tactical decision though as while the fine might cost you £5 the bribe they gave you might be £50. The more people you let in that you shouldn’t the more you get fined, until you eventually lose the job and get no pay along with a negative reputation which can affect future jobs.
As you play optional tasks will appear along with more and more mechanics for you to have to manage and balance as things get more and more difficult. I personally found this game quite tricky because it being set in 2018 and I kept having to remind myself that I had to ignore that it’s currently 2020. This was something I really struggled with because I’d look at the ID cards see that the person ID expires in 2019 and would immediately deny them entry only to remember a moment later that in this game that would have actually been fine.
I have never played a game that hit so close to home, but I have to say I love it. There’s a level of, well I suppose you can call it gallows humour, that this game is absolutely filled with. I also really enjoyed that there was an underlying plot that would occasionally rear its head, that really kept me engaged and had me really trying to progress to see what was going to happen.
If this appeals to you perhaps try;
Papers Please
Va-11 Hall-A
Kingdom
