Originally slated for release in 2021, but needing a few more months in the oven, Nobody Saves the World is a top-down RPG that boasts a few truly unique gameplay mechanics and features. As the game was only released on January 18, it’s taken a little while for everyone to form their opinion on the game, but reviews are out, and Nobody Saves the World looks as though it’s certainly a game that’s worth the player’s time.
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Nobody Saves the World’s Influences
Nobody Saves the World was developed by DrinkBox Studios, the same developer that released the incredibly popular Guacamelee! series. And while those games are widely considered to be superb brawlers, DrinkBox has gone in an entirely new direction for its new title.
Rather than using hand-to-hand brawler mechanics on a 2D plane, Nobody Saves the World instead takes inspiration from top-down RPGs. With regard to exploration, the game resembles the early Legend of Zelda titles. When it comes to combat, the developer is said to have taken inspiration from Final Fantasy Tactics. And it all shows, with each inspiration combining to make a unique game.
Nobody Saves the World’s Gameplay
At the heart of Nobody Saves the World’s gameplay is its core, unique idea. The player-character is called “Nobody,” and appears as a blank slate, just a pale-white body with hollow expressions. The main character appears like this as they can swap between different “forms” in the game, similarly to the recent Souls-like Mortal Shell.
Nobody’s magical wand gives them the ability to transform into a total of 15 different “forms,” each with its own unique powers. These forms range from dragons to horses to slugs. Human forms can also be unlocked during the game, with monks, rogues, magicians, and necromancers all being available via Nobody’s main skill tree.
Each of these forms starts with two unique abilities but can be leveled up over the course of the game to gain more powerful and varied attacks. As the player progresses through Nobody Saves the World, they’ll learn how to fluidly link these forms together, creating devastatingly powerful combos.
The general gameplay loop of Nobody Saves the World sees the player crawling through dungeon after dungeon to complete various quests and level their character up. These dungeons are procedurally generated, but the game does have set objectives that it requires the player to complete before they can progress through the story. Upon completing enough quests, the player will be rewarded with a “Star,” which can then be used to unlock the game’s “Legendary” dungeons. Those Legendary dungeons hold some of the game’s best loot.
Nobody Saves the World can also be played in co-op, much like DrinkBox’s previous game Guacamelee! 2. So if there are any co-op fans looking for a new experience on Game Pass, then this might be a safe bet.
How Nobody Saves the World Is Reviewing
With Nobody Saves the World releasing day one on Xbox Game Pass, some critics have had to wait to publish their reviews. But the game is finally out, and the vast majority of outlets seem to have really enjoyed their time with the game.
Currently, the game sits at a more-than-healthy 79 on Metacritic, with reviews ranging from as high as Windows Central’s 100 to as low as Game Rant’s own review of 3.5/5, which translates to a 70 on Metacritic. Generally, the game’s eye-catching cartoony art style has been praised by the majority of critics, as has the gameplay variety given in the number of forms available to the player. But the game’s repetitive objectives and gameplay seem to be its biggest weakness.
Nobody Save the World is available on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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