Visionless Preview – A killer action game about how to watch everyone you meet turn into monsters

Unsighted is a top-down action game with Metroidvania and Souls embellishments wrapped in a devilish premise. Set in the dystopian world of Arcadia, you control Alma, a powerful human-like robot known as an automaton who awakens with amnesia. His main objective is to find his romantic partner, Raquel, who has disappeared. On a less personal, though still distressing note, the city populated by automatons is running out of Anima. This precious resource is the source of the humanity of these machines. It allows them to think and feel exactly as we do, and without it, they become mindless monsters called the Blind. That means you and everyone else are living on borrowed time in a world already infested with these unfortunate beasts.

You know that some video game stories are a race against time, but do you really have all the time in the world? The blind are not bragging about it. Everyone has a life expectancy measured by hours that is constantly decreasing. Supporting characters, quest NPCs, shop owners, and even your Navi-style fairy robot companion are all at risk of going blind. That includes yourself. Some have 500 hours for their names, while others have 100 or less. An in-game clock, communicated through a day / night cycle, helps keep track of how much time is left, as does a contact list for every notable person you come across.

The premise is fascinating, but it also sounded stressful. I was worried about having to run through a beautiful world, and Unsighted is a very beautiful game, to save as many lives as possible. Contextually, that would be ideal, but the game also allows you to take your time. The days go by much faster than in real time, of course, but not fast enough to make you feel like you need to speed up the adventure. I took my time exploring Arcadia thoroughly, but I also found it a fun challenge to see how fast I can get through the dungeons without skimping on hidden treasures and upgrades.

You can extend your time and that of others by finding meteorite dust, a semi-rare resource that adds 24 hours to anyone’s clock. I found it rewarding to just help characters I like, but there are also tangible rewards for keeping someone close. Giving store owners meteorite powder increases their favor towards you, measured by hearts, and rewards discounts. My blacksmith was over three weeks old, but I hooked him with a bit of powder anyway so I could afford a mighty flaming sword. Store owners also hint that they can create powerful items in plenty of time. Another character grants additional Estus Flask-style healing syringes in exchange for three servings of Meteorite Powder.

This system presents a challenge through enjoyable puzzles. Do you help your favorite supporting character just to stay longer, help a vendor win vital gear, or use it on yourself? Knowing exactly how much time even the most superfluous NPC has left creates a powerful urge, not to mention a perpetual sense of melancholy and purpose. The cheerful pet store owner with a spider body told me about his dream of finding a way to safely pet dogs without scaring them, given their knife-like limbs. I looked at the time he had left, breathed a sigh of relief at the time he had left before turning around, and my mission was to make sure this guy lived long enough to pet a dog. The story unfolds in various ways depending on who survives and for how long, with multiple endings to begin with. As a result, you may miss certain steps in the story, providing plenty of reasons to revisit No Vision after the credits roll.

This timer makes me feel more attached to the characters, as I can’t take their presence for granted. There also seems to be some emerging moments with the NPCs. While exploring, my robot fairy suddenly stopped to entrust me with a story about her long-lost sister, whom she hopes to one day find and potentially open another story thread. Although I have not lost anyone yet (although an elderly farmer is on the brink), I have committed myself to the decision that if they die, they die and to follow the story no matter what happens as he prepares for heartbreak.

The setup is great, but Unsighted also plays like a dream. Fast-paced melee combat is great, and a satisfying parry sets up powerful counterattacks. Alma can equip a variety of melee weapons and firearms (with an active reload), and you have the freedom to mix and match as you see fit. You can mix melee combat and ranged attack with a katana / blaster charge. Do you want something similar to a double lever puller? He wields a shotgun and a machine gun. Or go completely barbarian with a heavy ax / sword combo. Weapons can also be used to solve environmental puzzles, such as directing a giant shuriken to press distant switches or carry torch fire. A stamina meter adds strategic focus to encounters without feeling too restrictive.

You can customize Alma to your liking with various chips that grant bonuses such as increased health, stamina, or upgrades such as health-depleting attacks or faster reload times. You only have a limited number of token slots, which means you’ll have to change charges for certain encounters, although you can unlock additional slots in special healing terminals. Additionally, temporary gears grant limited-use bonuses, such as increased attack power for a specified number of shifts or a revive on death.

Complementing the combat is Alma’s smooth and agile movement. The way it runs, jumps, and climbs structures feels great, and it’s not long before you’re happily maneuvering around areas as you slice through enemies to destroy them. Unsighted knows how well he plays by challenging players with his fair share of platforming challenges which, again, is unexpected in a game with this perspective, but it works. It also makes exploring the gigantic world of the blind a pleasure. The game is basically a top-down Metroidvania, and your main goal is to collect five scattered meteor fragments, each protected by a great evil. You can chase shards in any order with certain obstacles locked until you buy or find a weapon to clear them. Along the way, you will find secondary objectives, bits of history, and other secrets worth striving to discover, as long as you think it is worth the time.

I’m having a lot of fun with the blind. The action is great, the ticking of the clock creates real bets that add a welcome weight to your actions. The world and its tradition are fascinating, and it is also beautifully presented. I can’t wait to see how my adventure unfolds and who finally keeps his sanity in the end. You can choose Unsighted up on September 30 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC, and it will launch on Xbox Game Pass as well. There is also a demo for those looking to try before they buy.