Argus episode one is the first installment in the newest interactive messenger game from the German developer Reality Games. You might be familiar with some of their other work in The Healing, The Sign – Ghost Dimension and Orphans and others. Where each game has revolved around a type of horror, one that could be looked upon as a homage to the great stories.
For example, The Sign is their version of Ringu, the Japanese novel turned horror movie about a mysterious video that kills you in seven days after watching it. As for Argus, well, that dives into the world of urban legends; a corner of horror that usually provides a lot of scares.
Let’s see how Argus episode one measures up to the games that have come before.
Episode One
The Premise
Imagine you’re swiping on a dating app, a true horror in itself, and you’re talking to this person you’re getting on with. And then, you match with someone else; someone who begs for your help, leaving voice messages and sending a link to a messenger. Imagine you click on that link and you take over the profile of that person… who’s dead.
You’re thrown into a world of murder and mystery, exploring your relationship with the dead person’s friends. Some of them are okay with you, while others make you scream and scream and sometimes pray Argus comes for them. That is what you get with Argus. A story in which you take centre stage, helping a group of strangers unravel the mystery of their friend’s death.
But not everything is as it seems. Is there a serial killer killing young women? Or is there something more terrible waiting in the shadows? Is there a creature devoid of empathy, a killing machine ripped from the pages of a twisted horror infested Greek mythology?
I’ll let you see that one for yourself…
Characters – Cinemombies
With a new game comes a new group of characters to fall hopelessly in love with only to have them stab you in the back… Okay, that was dramatic but if you’ve played the other games you’ll know exactly WHO I’m talking about. In Argus we meet Jenni, Caro, Ben, Betty, Lily, Alicia and Denou. These are our core characters but there are others to cross paths with. Although, I assume those on the dating app will change gender depending on your sexual preference (which the game allows you to choose).
I’ll admit, I’m still learning about these characters and still warming to some of them. In the past games there were characters I instantly liked. But, that’s not to say there aren’t some growing on me. I find myself gleeful whenever Lily and Alicia (sisters) message, especially when they’re together. Or when Betty continues to look for a calm and reasonable explanation within a terrifying predicament.
These characters feel real. They argue, they love, they worry, they hate; all of the ingredients that make us human are part of them. My inability to connect with them as fast as I did is less on their past and more mine. While playing the game, I have been distracted with many other things, so I will be replaying at a later date.
However, I see no fault with the writing nor the actors. All of it works, and it works well, so I’m eager to replay and experience these people again. Well, most of them anyway. As is with any game when you come into a tight group, there’s always at least one person who isn’t as welcoming. You’ll know who I mean when you meet him.
Love Radar Matches
Along with the group, there are also potential matches on the fictional dating app Love Radar. Most of the matches are free but there are moments where you may need to use in-game currency to unlock multiple matches at a time. In-game currency can be purchased via mico-transactions or awarded during the minigames. Yes, yes, the minigames are back but wait until you hear all about these ones.
The matches are a fun way to break up the story; a sense of respite in the darkness of the investigation. You’ll play ice breaker questions with matches, flirt, get to know them better and laugh at some of their corny pick-up lines. However, don’t let it fool you, Love Radar must be there for more reason than just a fun aside.
With Argus episode one, there is always more than what meets the eye, after all… my eyesight to the all seeing one.
UI
One of the biggest changes that comes with Argus is the user interface. In the other games, you can only get into your messages but Argus has expanded this. Now you can explore more of your phone through different apps. If anything, its reminiscent of the UI in Simulacra but with Reality Games’ spin on it. I love the change. It widens the interactivity of the game, as well as the immersion.
It feels like you’re using a real phone now. You’ll also be able to keep an eye on your time as the date and time syncs with your phone. Even better, your battery is also synced so you can see how much you’ve got left after your two hours in without needing to come out of the app.
This is an upgrade from what’s come before, and a sure sign that Reality Games is expanding and using what it’s learned to its advantage.
Minigames
If there’s one thing you can count on with free-to-play interactive messenger games it’s minigames. I’ve played more minigames in interactive messenger games than I care to admit, and I’ve possibly cursed every single one at some point when I kept losing lives. However, you can skip these through in-game currency or by purchasing the flatrate bundle.
The flatrate bundle provides you with unlimited coins and comes with the premium pack. The premium pack includes pre-made author chats and conversations and pictures you wouldn’t get otherwise. These do need to be bought but how else are you supposed to support the developers who are giving you a minimovie in your fingertips?
The minigames have changed. Where they were usually designed to help you hack into files, they’re merely a way to restore corrupted files. With this, also comes a change in style for the minigame. It’s still a match three game but its style and look has drastically changed. You always get power-ups like many match three games do, but this is the first time I’ve seen them in an interactive messenger game.
It’s something I’ve wanted; another way to make the minigames easier. However, I’ll admit I have the flatrate so I don’t need to bother with losing lives and can skip at my pleasure. Though, with the change, I found myself playing more and more. It’s a welcome change, though there is, obviously, a part of me that misses a certain hacker and his friendly hacking A.I. bot.
Conclusion
Argus is an interesting premise delving into the world of urban legends. It’s early days to say if it’ll reach the heights of the previous games, but the building blocks are definitely there. This is a story about believing in what you can’t always see and understanding there’s more to the world than what meets the eye… my eyesight to the all seeing one.
One avenue of the game I’ve yet to explore is a new feature: a VIP subscription. This promises to unlock new content, such as bonus chats and extras on a regular basis. If I use it, I’ll report back on the bonuses. Meanwhile, if you like the sound of Argus but playing horror isn’t for you there are other ways to follow the story.
You can watch a playthrough of the game such as TongueTiedGames. Longtime players may even recognise them as J.K. Night and Charlie from The Healing, among other juicy morsels.
When the next episode comes is anyone’s guess but one thing I do know is that my eyesight to the all seeing one.
