Corpus Edax

Corpus Edax is an immersive sim created as a game combining elements of action titles and RPGs. The game was developed by an independent developer - Luis Guilherme Bento - who had previously created projects of a much smaller caliber. Its creation was possible thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. The author's sources of inspiration include games such as Dishonored, Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell.

Plot

Corpus Edax presents us with a grim vision of a future in which Earth is no longer suitable for life. The search for a new home led humanity to an accidentally discovered planet on which the titular city was built. A World Government was created shortly thereafter and it introduced oppressive laws and a social class division (from A to D). The emergence of a resistance movement was only a matter of time. An opposing faction called Salvation was born, whose members are fighting for a better life.

The action of the game takes place a hundred years after humans escaped from Earth. During the game we play the role of a character who wakes up from a medically induced coma and must find a place for himself in Corpus Edax. How the story will unfold - whether we will join the Salvation or support the local Security Forces - depends on our actions and the choices we make.

Gameplay

In Corpus Edax we watch the action from a first-person perspective (FPP). We start the game by creating a character. We can give them a name, as well as choose the gender and age, and decide on their initial skills. We have nothing left to do, but to let ourselves be swallowed up by the dystopian metropolis.

The city of Corpus Edax is divided into a number of locations, the center of which is a large hub. As we traverse its dark corners, we get to know the inhabitants and engage in conversations with them, as well as carry out various quests that push the plot forward, along with doing side missions. We can decide for ourselves how we want to deal with the problems we encounter.

The game allows us to approach matters both forcefully, engaging in open combat (we eliminate enemies primarily with our own fists, although we can also use melee weapons or throw objects that we have at hand). We can also act stealthily (sneaking behind enemies or neutralizing them by surprise) or rely on diplomacy and persuasive skills.

Our possibilities are largely determined by the character's statistics and abilities, which we can develop as we progress. For example, by investing in charm, we will have additional dialogue options available, while developing skills related to combat, over time we will become a real killing machine. The game also rewards our creativity - we can get to high places by placing objects and then climbing them, while closed doors can be opened with a pick, hacking the security systems or simply destroying them.

The reputation system also plays an important role here. The decisions we make and our actions not only influence how different factions perceive us, but also shape our three traits - insight, greed, and reciprocity. It determines the way the city's residents relate to us.