''Dex'' is a

side-scrolling A side-scrolling video game (alternatively side-scroller) is a video game viewed from a side-view camera angle where the screen follows the player as they move left or right. The jump from single-screen or flip-screen graphics to scrolling grap ...

action role-playing game An action role-playing game (often abbreviated action RPG or ARPG) is a video game genre that combines core elements from both the action game and Role-playing video game, role-playing game genres. Definition Action role-playing games empha ...

developed and published by Dreadlocks Ltd. The game was

crowdfunded Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people, typically via the internet. Crowdfunding is a form of crowdsourcing and alternative finance, to fund projects "without standard financial ...

Kickstarter Kickstarter, PBC is an American Benefit corporation, public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York City, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative project ...

, and was released in 2015.

Gameplay

Dex is a 2D

platform game A platformer (also called a platform game, and sometimes a jump 'n' run game) is a subgenre of action game in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are characterized by levels wi ...

focused on exploration and non-linear gameplay, more like a

Role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out ...

. The player controls the eponymous character, Dex, and receives quests from

NPCs A non-player character (NPC) is a character in a game that is not controlled by a player. The term originated in traditional tabletop role-playing games where it applies to characters controlled by the gamemaster (or referee) rather than by a ...

. Every quest has multiple possible solutions and it is up to player which of them to choose. The player receives

experience points An experience point (often abbreviated as exp or XP) is a unit of measurement used in some tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's life experience and progression through the game. Experien ...

for every quest completed or enemy killed. Experience points grant skill points that can be invested into the character's skills. Skills include fighting, shooting, hacking, and lock-picking.

Plot

The story follows Dex, a young woman living in Harbor Prime. Harbor Prime is a city controlled by corporations that are integrated into a secret authority known as the Complex. Dex becomes a target of the Complex that sends its assassins to her. Dex is saved by a hacker known as Raycast who guides her to safety. Raycast reveals that Dex is the "fragment of Kether." Kether was the supreme Artificial Intelligence program created by the Complex. It was shut down when the Complex lost control of it. Dex becomes part of the resistance against the Complex.

Development and release

The game was announced at the

Game Developers Session The Game Developers Session (GDS) is an annual Czech conference on video game development. It is the oldest conference dedicated to game development, technology, businesses, and marketing in Central Europe. It has been organized annually since 2 ...

2012 and originally scheduled to be released in 2013. In late 2012, developers started a

campaign, which started on November 12 when the studio asked for £14,000. The amount was reached a week later and in the end the game was pledged £30,647. On November 4, 2012, ''Dex'' was greenlit for

Steam Steam is water vapor, often mixed with air or an aerosol of liquid water droplets. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization. Saturated or superheated steam is inv ...

. The first build of Alpha version was released an

Early Access Early access, also known as alpha access, alpha founding, paid alpha, or game preview, is a funding model in the video game industry by which consumers can purchase and play a game in the various pre-release Software release life cycle, developm ...

on August 14, 2014. It featured a limited amount of quests and locations. The second build was released three months later, featuring more quests, locations and characters. The Beta was released on April 1, 2015, adding almost all features intended for the final release, including the story, and was published only in Steam Beta Build. The final version was released on May 7, 2015. A physical version produced by publishers PQube and BadLand Games for the PlayStation 4 console was released on July 29, 2016.

Reception

''Dex'' received mixed reviews upon its release. Arcade Sushi praised the gameplay system which "combines expressive 2D sprites and nostalgic platforming with some grade-A, modern action-RPG." It also praised the story and its familiarity to ''

Deus Ex ''Deus Ex'' is a series of cyberpunk role-playing video games, set during the mid 21st century. Focusing on the conflict between secretive factions who wish to control the world by proxy, and the effects of transhumanistic attitudes and technol ...

'' and ''

Shadowrun ''Shadowrun'' is a science fantasy tabletop role-playing game set in an alternate future in which cybernetics, magic in fiction, magic and fantasy creatures co-exist. It combines genres of cyberpunk, urban fantasy, and crime fiction, crime, wit ...

''. On the other hand, the save system was criticised as was the journal system. The review also mentioned some minor bug, but was overall positive and called ''Dex'' a "solid game worth investment." Czech website Zing praised the atmosphere of the game world and the story along with the soundtrack. Side-quests that include possibility to make a decision also gained praise. However, it criticised the number of bugs and noted that ''Dex'' should have stayed in Early Access for a bit longer. ''Dex'' won the Czech Game of the Year Award for artistic contribution to Czech video game output in 2014. Website Games.cz voted ''Dex'' the best Czech video game developed in 2015. They noted that the game would not have been nominated for the title at release due to the high number of bugs that spoiled the experience, but Dreadlocks had released multiple bug-fixing and game-improving updates since then. The review noted that after these updates Dex "is the undisputed best title" among Czech games of 2015. Game Obscura also praised the Enhanced Edition, saying "it's a must play for the fans of

cyberpunk Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction in a dystopian futuristic setting said to focus on a combination of "low-life and high tech". It features futuristic technological and scientific achievements, such as artificial intelligence and cyberwa ...

RPG games." The console version has received more positive reviews than the PC version. It holds a 69% rating on

Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...

. Elias Blondeau of CGMagazine praised the story and gameplay. He called ''Dex'' "the absolute best ''

Ghost in the Shell ''Ghost in the Shell'' is a Japanese cyberpunk media franchise based on the manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. The manga, first serialized between 1989 and 1991, is set in mid-21st century Japan and tel ...

'' game we’ve ever gotten." ''Digitally Downloaded'' compared ''Dex'' with '' The Technomancer''. It praised ''Dex'' for its gameplay but criticised narrative. Lauren Relph praised the art design and the inspiration from various cyberpunk sources such as ''

Blade Runner ''Blade Runner'' is a 1982 science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott from a screenplay by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples. Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, and Edward James Olmos, it is an adaptation of Philip K. Di ...

''. Another praise was for story and well-acted characters. Relph on the other hand criticised the combat and hacking mechanics. Relph concluded her review: "A modest and enjoyable game, with a selection of great characters, and a storyline often giving pause for thought. ''Dex'' is a solid project, clearly put together with love. While its combat mechanic and hacking are lacking, the majority of the experience is deep and interesting." ''ZTGD'' published a negative review which criticised the combat, story and controls. He also noted performance issues with the

Xbox One The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was first released in North America, parts of Europe, Austra ...

version. His conclusion was: "''Dex'' just never stood out enough for me. The generic and clichéd story left me cold, and the technical issues made the game hard to like. However, it is worth noting that the various performance issues I encountered on the Xbox One were not present on the PC version. So if you feel like you need to check ''Dex'' out and have the ability to do so, get it on PC. It doesn’t differ much in general, but at least it will be slightly more pleasant to play." Brandon Marlow wrote another negative review. He praised the game's world and story, noting interesting characters and places; but he criticised its gameplay which he called a "dull affair."

References

{{Reflist

External links

Official website
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