Militsioner Preview
An excellent little Kafkaesque immersive sim. That's right, baby, it's the Militsioner play test!
Someone must have been telling lies. You haven't done anything noteworthy in your life. Yet, this morning you were arrested.
Get on the next train.
It's a tale as old as time, waking up in a dreary European village, accused of a crime you didn't commit. Who among you can say they haven't been in that exact situation? What might be different—depending on exactly which parts of Europe you've been to—is the Giant. They are a towering police officer who watches your every move until the day of your trial. That's right, baby, it's the Militsioner play test!
Seated comfortably beyond the shores of the town, with a presumably wet ass, the Giant keeps a vigil over everything that happens. If you steal, trespass or murder under their vindictive gaze, they will fine or arrest you. You've only got a few days to skip town before the trial, so you'll have to get creative. Or really good at throwing bricks.
The town is a character unto itself. It's beautifully detailed and gorgeously rendered. Every corner of the map is packed with interesting little bits and pieces and opportunities to create chaos. The reactiveness (it's a real word, I checked) of the world is what really stood out to me.
Doors and windows can be broken down; vents, pipes and sewers can be snuck through; if the Giant gets depressed, they can even flood the whole town. NPCs report your crimes, and you can frame them right back, too. 'It wasn't me who stole that car radio, sir, it was the nasty ticket booth lady.' I've already brought this up once, but throwing bricks is an inherently satisfying activity, and they're especially powerful against living things.
For an early build, the game is more polished than you'd think, but there are inevitable rough edges. Getting stuck on ladders, drowning above water, sequence breaking, broken level geometry, the usual suspects. I expect most, if not all, of these issues to be ironed out over time.
A more systemic issue is the interactions with the poor, innocent townsfolk, which are all a bit one-note. They get upset if you break into their house or steal from them, and they mostly have the same dialogue. Hitting them in the head with a brick or a bottle kills them instantly, and you can't hide their bodies, although that could make the game too easy. The Giant eventually uncovers any crime you commit and accuses you. If you don't have an alibi, things go from bad to worse.
I escaped twice. Both times, the Giant found out that I stole a train ticket. Once this happens, you're hunted across the level until you either leave or get caught. I'm not sure if there is a truly stealthy route, but I do know you can date the Giant, leading to an alternate escape.
Did I enjoy my little trip through the Giant's town? Oh, fuck yeah. It definitely needs some work to smooth out the bumpy spots, but the fundamentals are all there and work really well. If I had a wishlist, I'd ask for more reactivity, more physics objects and more unique NPC interactions. Despite that, Militsioner is an excellent and utterly unique immersive sim that revels in its Kafkaesque inspiration. I can only see it getting better from here.
