République (video game)

République
Developer(s)	Camouflaj
Publisher(s)	NA: GungHo Online Entertainment[2] PAL: NIS America
Director(s)	Ryan Payton
Producer(s)	Darci Morales Aaron Whiting
Designer(s)	Ryan Payton
Artist(s)	Alexei Tylevich
Writer(s)	Brendan Murphy Ryan Payton
Composer(s)	Zinc LeMone
Engine	Unity
Platform(s)	iOS, Android, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 4, Oculus Go, Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, Stadia, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation VR
Release	Episode 1 iOS WW: December 19, 2013 Android WW: October 22, 2014 Microsoft Windows & OS X WW: February 26, 2015 Episode 2 iOS WW: May 2, 2014[1] Android WW: October 22, 2014 Microsoft Windows & OS X WW: February 26, 2015 Episode 3 iOS WW: October 20, 2014 Android WW: October 22, 2014 Microsoft Windows & OS X WW: February 26, 2015 Episode 4 iOS, Android, Microsoft Windows & OS X WW: December 17, 2015 Episode 5 iOS, Android, Microsoft Windows & OS X WW: March 22, 2016 Full Game PlayStation 4 NA: March 22, 2016 PAL: March 25, 2016 Anniversary Edition Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, & PlayStation VR WW: March 10, 2022
Genre(s)	Action-adventure, stealth
Mode(s)	Single-player

République is an episodic action-adventure stealth video game developed by Camouflaj and Logan Games and published by GungHo Online Entertainment. The game was originally released for iOS devices but has since expanded to Android, Microsoft Windows and OS X. A PlayStation 4 version, containing all five episodes, was released on March 22, 2016, while a version for the Stadia cloud gaming service was released on September 15, 2020.^[3][4] A VR version debuted on the Oculus Go, followed by a release onto Oculus Quest in July 2019, and Steam on 15 June 2020 (for HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Valve Index) and Oculus Go. In June 14, 2021, Camouflaj announced an Anniversary Edition of the game for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR which was released on March 10, 2022.

Gameplay

Players communicate with the main character, Hope, through their phone or computer, in order to help her escape.^[5][6] The player controls surveillance cameras in the fictional totalitarian state or corporate republic of République in order to monitor Hope's actions, as well as hack into various electronic devices.^[7]

The interface that the player must use is the "OMNI View" software, which allows them to lock and unlock doors, distract patrolling enemies, and obtain information. In some situations, the player must upgrade their OMNI View to higher versions, enabling them to access areas and nodes with stronger security, In the OS X and Windows versions, players will be able to access multiple cameras at once.^[8]

Plot

République takes place in an unnamed totalitarian state (similar to George Orwell's 1984), led by its sinister "Overseer"/"Headmaster" named Treglazov (Dwight Schultz), a powerhouse technology and security mogul with an insane ideology he has peddled most of his life, mostly through books. His latest book, a manifesto he has concocted, is what he has used to initiate his utopia, and has given them to everyone who lives in, and works for it. Within a facility a part of it called "Metamorphosis",^[9] Prizrak, the hired guards of the totalitarian state, protect from intruders, and keep in line the adolescents called "Pre-Cals" (short for Pre-Calibration), who are getting mysterious experiments performed on them, and are people who were born and raised in the facility.^[10] One Pre-Cal teenager, Hope (Rena Strober), manages to contact the player through their phone, and requests them to help her escape from Metamorphosis.^[11]

Hope and the player receive assistance from Cooper (James Holloway), an American who works as a Prizrak in Metamorphosis, and has grown a strong hate for it. Other characters include Daniel Markus Zager (David Hayter), a deceased journalist/revolutionary who leaves audio logs behind for Hope and the player;^[12][10] Quinn Derringer (Khary Payton) who is the Head of the Prizrak; and Mireille Prideaux (Jennifer Hale), who serves as a high-ranking official for the facility, and as Hope and every other Pre-Cal's caretaker, and may or may not be an infiltrator who is against Treglazov.^{[11][13][14][15]}

Development

Ryan Payton, founder of Camouflaj, initiated the project because he wanted to "stop complaining about the lack of real games on mobile and start making one".^[16][17] The idea for Hope came about when he was performing a thought experiment about how to make Love Plus for a Western audience.^[18] Payton cites Nineteen Eighty-Four as a major influence on the atmosphere.^[19] The game also draws inspiration from Metal Gear, the first Resident Evil, and Demon's Souls.^[5][20] The central themes are "voyeurism, paranoia, censorship, and control".^[5] Logan co-founder Alexei Tylevich serves as art director; Logan will focus on visual development while Camouflaj handles the gameplay and systems.^[9]

On April 11, 2012, Camouflaj launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to raise $500,000 to help with development costs.^[21] The project was funded on May 11, 2012 with a total of $555,662.^[22][23]

Reception

Aggregate review scores

Game	Metacritic
République	PS4: 72/100[24]
Episode 1: Exordium	iOS: 77/100[25] PC: 77/100[26]
Episode 2: Metamorphosis	iOS: 79/100[27]
Episode 3: Ones and Zeroes	iOS: 75/100[28]
Episode 4: God's Acre	PC: 63/100[29]
Episode 5: Terminus	PC: 69/100[30]

Episode 1: Exordium

Episode 1: Exordium received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.^[25][26]

Episode 2: Metamorphosis

Episode 2: Metamorphosis received "generally favorable" reviews, according to Metacritic.^[27]

Episode 3: Ones and Zeroes

Episode 3: Ones and Zeroes received "generally favorable" reviews, according to Metacritic.^[28]

Episode 4: God's Acre

Episode 4: God's Acre received "mixed or average" reviews, according to Metacritic.^[29]

Episode 5: Terminus

Episode 5: Terminus received "mixed or average" reviews, according to Metacritic.^[30]

References

1. Matulef, Jeffrey (April 30, 2014). "Republique - Episode 2: Metamorphosis is out now". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
2. Admin, GungHo (June 22, 2015). "GungHo to Publish Future Episodes of Camouflaj's République". GungHo Online Entertainment. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
3. Pereira, Chris (August 19, 2015). "PS4 Getting Acclaimed Stealth Game République Next Year". GameSpot. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
4. "This Week on Stadia: WWE 2K Battlegrounds and more games hit Stadia this week". community.stadia.com. 2020-09-15. Archived from the original on 2020-09-16. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
5. Ashcraft, Brian (2012-04-05). "République's Ambitions Are Way Greater Than Just Metal Gear Stealth". Kotaku. Retrieved 2012-05-19.
6. "First Installment of Dystopian Thriller République Now Available on the App Store" (PDF). Media.wix.com. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
7. Davis, Justin (2012-04-10). "From Halo 4 to Republique". IGN. Archived from the original on April 13, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-19.
8. Berghammer, Billy (2012-05-01). "Update #8: Team Meeting About République PC & Mac". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2012-05-19.
9. Miller, Matt (2012-04-10). "République: The Ryan Payton Interview". GameInformer. Archived from the original on April 12, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-19.
10. Camoflaj (19 December 2013). République (iOS).
11. Camoflaj (19 December 2013). République (iOS). Level/area: Episode 1: Exordium.
12. Camoflaj (19 December 2013). République (iOS). Scene: (when starting the game; after showing the Camoflaj, Unity Engine, and CriWare logos). On-screen quote:
    "I used to get angry 'cause I thought my government wasn't listening to me. Now I'm angry 'cause I know they are."
    —Daniel Zager
13. Berghammer, Billy (2012-05-03). "Update #10: David Hayter and Jennifer Hale Join The Cast of République!". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2012-05-19.
14. "RÉPUBLIQUE by Camouflaj LLC". Archived from the original on January 18, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
15. Matthew Reynolds (December 20, 2013). "Republique interview: Camouflaj on episodes, Kickstarter, iOS release". www.digitalspy.com/. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
16. "Official Republique Trailer". YouTube. 2012-04-10. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
17. Fletcher, JC (2012-04-10). "Camouflaj Kickstarting iOS stealth game 'Republique,' see the first trailer". Joystiq. Retrieved 2012-05-19.
18. Parish, Jeremy (2012-05-10). "Why I'm Supporting the Republique Kickstarter". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on 2012-08-03. Retrieved 2012-05-19.
19. Berghammer, Billy (2012-04-25). "Update #4: Top 10 Community Questions". Kickstarter.com. Retrieved 2012-05-19.
20. Sheffield, Brandon (2012-04-11). "The origins of Republique: when Metal Gear Solid meets Demon's Souls". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2012-05-19.
21. Berghammer, Billy (2012-04-26). "Update #5: République Announced For PC And Mac!". Kickstarter.com. Retrieved 2012-05-19.
22. Payton, Ryan (2012-05-11). "Update #16: We All Did It!". Kickstarter.com. Retrieved 2012-05-19.
23. Payton, Ryan (2012-05-11). "Update #17: We Are Funded". Kickstarter.com. Retrieved 2012-05-19.
24. "Republique for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
25. "Republique: Episode 1 - Exordium for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
26. "Republique: Episode 1 - Exordium for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
27. "Republique: Episode 2 - Metamorphosis for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
28. "Republique: Episode 3 - Ones and Zeroes for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
29. "Republique: Episode 4 - God's Acre for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
30. "Republique: Episode 5 - Terminus for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 22, 2016.

External links

• Camouflaj website
• Logan website
• Kickstarter page