Time-loops have been providing filmgoers with existential thrills (and the occasional laugh) for decades now, but I’d argue that this idea is even more compelling in the world of video games. After all, games are the only artistic medium with a built-in fail-state, so one could argue that every single game contains a time loop that resets whenever players fail or restart a level. That’s why I find it strange that it took so long for developers to start telling stories where this loop is a diegetic part of the experience (such as in titles like Dark Souls and even Death Stranding).
However, as some games blur the line between Hollywood production and interactive virtual experience, the time loop scenario can also be used to revitalize janky hybrid genres of yesteryear. Wales Interactive’s new sci-fi horror title Dead Reset is a great example of this, as this B-movie-inspired throwback expertly uses a Groundhog Day scenario to breathe new life into the live-action FMV adventure genre.
Wales Interactive is no stranger to either horror or FMV games, with the studio having amassed quite a few accolades over the years due to their work on projects like The Complex and the Sker duology, but Dead Reset appears to be an attempt at combining the best elements of their previous releases into a single cohesive experience.
In the game, we follow Daniel Thrace as Cole Mason, an amnesiac surgeon who wakes up in a futuristic research facility and is immediately tasked with removing a parasitic organism from a comatose patient. Naturally, the surgery goes horribly wrong and Cole soon learns that he’s trapped inside of a time loop that resets whenever he dies. Players must then use this ability to navigate an escalating series of critical decisions that will either lead to freedom or a permanent death at the hands of a mutated monstrosity.
Since Dead Reset combines the interactive thrills of a video game with the visual storytelling of a late-night creature feature, I think it’s only fair to review the title from both perspectives. And when it comes to interactivity, the “mechanics” here basically boil down to choosing between two opposing options during certain situations. The consequences of your decisions can range from immediate death to long-term changes to the plot, though the time loop means that character interactions are usually more important than surviving chase sequences.
This isn’t exactly hardcore gameplay, but the constant drip-feeding of narrative information combined with clever editing (meant to keep you from rewatching the exact same scenes too many times in a row) keeps you from ever getting bored. The lenient nature of the experience also meant that I was often trying out intentionally stupid decisions just to see how Cole’s situation could possibly get any worse. My only real gripes with the system lie in how some choices are poorly telegraphed – with vague descriptions occasionally implying one outcome but producing another – as well as the lack of replay value once you’ve completed the experience a couple of times.
Despite the large number of minor variables, there are essentially two (arguably three) radically different story paths that you can take here, with most of your decisions resulting in minor splits and the occasional lore dump. While I understand the limitations of working with live action video, I would have appreciated the addition of at least one more narrative path where Cole decides that he can’t trust anyone and attempts to deal with the monster on his own. Of course, I also would have been content with a few more endings.
On the cinematic side of things, I immediately fell in love with Dead Reset’s hand-crafted sci-fi aesthetic and snappy writing. Despite the premise’s necessary use of repetition, the story moves at such a break-neck pace that you can’t help but become enthralled with our amnesiac protagonist’s predicament as he’s forced to make split-second judgement calls based on very little information.
And while most of the characters are meant to be easily identifiable stereotypes, certain intimate reveals and a handful of standout performances (such as Lindsey Craine as Fearne) elevate this memorable ensemble from genre caricatures to believable characters. In fact, the biggest difference between Dead Reset and the FMV games that inspired it is the overall quality of the experience, as the polished mechanics and competent acting mean that it lacks the genre’s notorious penchant for jank.
And despite the overwhelming amount of narrative variation, I found that every path led to a somewhat satisfying conclusion regardless of how many bad decisions you make along the way – which is something of a small miracle given how the game initially appears to be a derivative retelling of Alien but with time travel elements. I won’t get into spoilers, but I actually really liked how the creature connected to Cole’s looping prison.
That being said, the visuals were my favorite aspect of the experience. The improvised set design and gritty atmosphere reminded me of the best midnight movies of yesteryear (as well as certain episodes of Doctor Who), and I especially appreciate the game’s use of digitally composited miniatures. Of course, the mutated antagonist is the real star of the show here, with highly entertaining practical effects making this rapidly evolving creature one of the most memorable videogame enemies in recent memory – and that’s not even mentioning the insane amount of gnarly gore effects on display whenever you make a wrong move.
Dead Reset will likely appeal more to film fans that occasionally dabble in gaming rather than hardcore gamers that also happen to enjoy scary movies, but I’d argue that the clever writing and meticulously crafted visuals make it well worth the price of admission despite an overly linear narrative. After all, what you’re purchasing is just as much a highly rewatchable film as it is a video game, so there’s endless potential here for interactive movie nights where you and a bunch of friends can work together to try and escape an underwater nightmare.
Dead Reset releases September 11 on all major platforms.
