I’m starting to realize that cyberpunk is apparently very “in” at the moment. At the same time, VA-11 HALL-A was doing this setting way back in 2016, so N1RV ANN-A gets a free pass for continuing its already established narrative from before cyberpunk was cool. Also, the game itself is looking excellent.
Set in the swankier Hotel St. Alicia, N1RV ANN-A has a much different perspective on its world than its predecessor VA-11 HALL-A. While the figurative and literal dirt was much more noticeable in the latter’s titular bar, my brief time with N1RV ANN-A informed me of the fact that the filth and corruption of Glitch City will be hidden in plain sight this time around. As I spoke to Olivia, a driven but disillusioned businesswoman, I began to realize that the upper class of Glitch City would be just as fascinating and corrupt as that of its more visibly downtrodden denizens in the first game.
What started as casual banter over some simple bartending became a discussion about corporate sabotage, sleeping one’s way to the top, and some of the other scandalous activities that Glitch City’s elite take part in daily. Olivia’s confident veneer slowly wore away, as it became clear that the system was wearing on her, as it would on most decent people. That’s when it became time to stop serving drinks, and start tending bar.
“Apparently the story can diverge in small ways depending on how you treat others, so I look forward to seeing those differences in the full game.“
The new reaction system in N1RV ANN-A immediately caught my attention, as it lets you interact with the game’s various characters through spirited dialogue rather than just drink-mixing. Responses change whether you choose to respond to a client enthusiastically, flirtatiously, jokingly, etc., which lets you make Sam (N1RV ANN-A’s protagonist and player character) into the kind of person you want her to be. Apparently the story can diverge in small ways depending on how you treat others, so I look forward to seeing those differences in the full game.
Par for the course, N1RV ANN-A looks gorgeous. The spritework of VA-11 HALL-A was stunning, so I’m glad to see N1RV ANN-A is following suit with its colorful and meticulously detailed art. The same quality can be found in the short section of the soundtrack that I heard in the demo, which was as chill as could be; perfect for the bar’s atmosphere.
The new setting and reaction system add just enough to N1RV ANN-A to make it a distinct step forward from VA-11 HALL-A without taking away any of the features or charm that made the original game so excellent. I can’t wait for N1RV ANN-A to come out later this year, as the demo had everything I wanted and more.
