‘Nobody Saves the World’: A Dark Yet Humorous RPG With An Impressive Class System
by Gary Catig
Nobody Saves the World is an action-RPG from DrinkBox Studios that has already been released on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows Store, and Steam. Now the game has arrived on other platforms including the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and in the case of this review, Nintendo Switch.
The plot revolves on a pale, androgynous humanoid named Nobody. They awaken in a kingdom where a powerful wizard has mysteriously disappeared leaving behind his magic wand. Armed with the artifact, Nobody sets out to rescue the wizard and uses the wand’s transformation ability to aid them on their quest.
The game hearkens back to the classic Legend of Zelda with its top-down perspective. It has cutesy, cartoonish visuals for its characters, but they have a twisted edge to them. The environments are detailed and gloomy but, through the smart use of color, also contain a beautiful, dark quality. The world is surprisingly expansive, giving each part a unique character through themed lands and distinguishable music. All of this contributes to the playful yet warped tone.
In addition, there is an engaging narrative despite familiar aspects such as an ominous threat that could jeopardize the kingdom and a grouchy rival on a similar journey. It gradually dives into the back story of this plain old “nobody” and how they are linked with the lurking threat. One element that can be overlooked since you are so caught up in the action is the humor. Whether in the dialog, the side quests, or a background gag, the comedy keeps things lighthearted.
The most impressive part of Nobody Saves the World is the gameplay — especially the numerous forms, or classes, the protagonist can take on their adventure. There is a wide variety to choose from (some interesting options including an egg and slug) that come equipped with their own distinct abilities. Learning how to properly utilize each form is a test on its own. You can even swap and equip skills, both passive and attacks, across forms providing a high degree of customization in order to determine the most effective combinations during each dungeon. It’s an extensive tree system to unlock the forms and the further you go up, the more powerful the form can be. Part of the fun is collecting them all.
The difficulty ramps up the further you progress and there will be more than one time when you are overwhelmed by enemies. The main storyline dungeons are extra hard, sometimes incorporating a gimmick. The multiplayer feature, either couch or online co-op, can bring another person in to help and adds another dimension in a Secret of Mana kind of way. The procedurally generated dungeons can provide a little more variation and replay value; however, the levels aren’t altered too much. There’s still a level of familiarity and fighting through the dungeons can be repetitive.
Regardless, Nobody Saves the World is a dark yet humorous action RPG with an impressive class system which will surely entertain and challenge even the most experienced gamer.
