Self Simulated Review: Old-school Room Clearing Gameplay That's Impossible To Put Down

The calibre of Game Boy games coming out of ModRetro HQ is absolutely phenomenal. From major names like Rayman and the upcoming Croc release to brand new games like Hermano and Chantey, there are so many reasons to pick up your old handheld again or to treat yourself to the ultimate Game Boy on the block.

Self Simulated is a new title from 2nd Law Games and published through ModRetro, and if you're looking for a game that challenges you in that old-school way that meant your Game Boy was glued to your hands, then this is it. I've been putting it through its paces on the Chromatic and Game Boy Color, and while it's given me some serious thumb ache, I'm loving every second of it.

• Price: $39.99, £32.00
• Compatible With: ModRetro Chromatic, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Analogue Pocket.
• Playtime: 2-3 Hours
• Available From: ModRetro

Self Simulated - A Fast-paced, Futuristic Tale That Keeps You On Your Toes

For those of you who haven't come across Self Simulated before, it's a game that channels the essence of early platformers like Prince of Persia, Super Mario, Rayman - the list is endless. If you're into your retro gaming, then you'll feel right at home here.

In terms of story, it's steeped in mystery and poses an intriguing adventure from the off. You play as a digital copy of yourself on a mission to discover who you are and what has happened to you. You've lost your memories, and you have to work your way through to the end of a strange facility to get them back.

What's In The Box?

Before I get too ahead of myself, let's take a look at what's inside the box. As with all ModRetro games, Self Simulated comes with a box with crisp, full-colour artwork; an instruction booklet jam-packed full of information, settings, tips, and tricks; a game cartridge with a fantastic design, and a charm relating to the game. I've got so many of these charms now that I could make my own alternative Pandora bracelet, but the 90s collector in me has made sure that I've kept them all sealed in their plastic bags.

Having an instruction booklet really helps with getting to grips with all of the different elements of the game before you start playing. I'm writing this as though it's something new to me while actually remensicing about the days where I would sit and learn all of my characters moves before some of them even became available.

When there are so many elements to a game like this too, it can be super helpful to recap what's what, especially when hints aren't always forthcoming while you're in the middle of a level. The assist settings above could definitely help you out of a tight spot too, but I'll come onto those in a second.

Gameplay

When it comes to the gameplay, Self Simulated marries fast-paced, electric gameplay with some stunning visuals that really draw you into the narrative. Just check out the cutscene on the image below - it's so striking and thought provoking while at the same time incredibly weird that I couldn't help but feel gripped.

Why have you forgotten your memories? Where are you? Will you look like this forever? From the beginning, you're supercharged to get to the end to finally solve this mystery, which is the true sign of stellar storytelling.

The levels themselves aren't brimming with backgrounds that create a lot of depth, but that doesn't really matter. You're too busy concentrating on staying alive in the levels while trying to get past the patches of glitch that are there to stop you in your tracks. Hit the glitch, and you disintegrate and start the level again.

And yes, one of my favourite parts of the story is that 2nd Law Games have called the AI that caused all of this havoc 'M-iss1-NgN-0', which all of you Pokémon Red & Blue fans out there will know as the mysterious Pokémon that was part of the cheat that started off from talking to the Caterpie-trainer and ended with you floating up and down a stretch of Cinnabar Island. Nice touch guys, we love it when devs pay homage to the games they grew up with!

There are certain settings that you can turn on to make things easier like an anti-glitch mode to make moving through corrupted areas much easier, automatic wall grab, and extra jump features. These are great if you are struggling with a specific level and just end up banging your head against the wall, but with a game that's this short, I think that using cheats or extra settings means you'll run through it far too fast.

There are levels where the anti-glitch mode is necessary as you'll need it to progress, but I would honestly recommend sticking to your guns and not going for the extra help. You'll feel prouder of yourself in the long run.

Final Thoughts

Self Simulated is a great game that has given me some really great moments. As I've said, the narrative is incredibly intriguing and really drew me in from the get go. The packaging is brilliant, the cartridge looks phenomenal, and the challenging elements of the levels is fantastic.

I just wish it was longer.

Hopefully, 2nd Law Games will come back with a sequel or offer more levels through ModRetro's cart clinic which would be amazing.

Would I say that £32 is a lot of money for a short game? Usually, yes, but thanks to the Hardcore mode and the fact that there's an option to speedrun and see how fast you can complete it, I would say that there is a lot of replayability in this title. Still, if you're looking for something that's going to grip you for 30+ hours, this isn't it.

If, however, you're looking for a title that you can pick up and play whenever you have a spare moment and then get lost challenging yourself with a tough level for 20 minutes, then Self Simulated will be definitely up your street. It's fast paced, exciting, and a credit to the Chromatic.