Originally released in Japan just last year for the PlayStation Vita, Gnosia has now made its way onto the Nintendo Switch. It's the perfect time for this game to make its debut in the west. Last year saw indie hit Among Us come out of nowhere, partially due to the need to find new ways to socialize. While Gnosia may sound similar to Among Us, it really stands apart with its own charm and a unique take on the murder mystery.
The plot is simple. You and fellow crew members are aboard a ship and have just awoken from cryosleep, but at least one of you is not what they seem. An alien race called Gnos has infected crew members, turning them into Gnosia, and they're now out to kill the rest. The infected are seemingly no different from normal, so it's up to you and the crew to carefully determine who is infected and vote to put those members back into cryosleep. It sounds straightforward, but there's a lot more going on in this game than simply ousting the killers, and that's what makes it stand out.
Unlike Among Us, Gnosia is a single-player RPG experience with strong visual novel elements. At the beginning of the game, you give your character a name and icon, pick a gender (there is a non-binary option but no pronoun choices; characters refer to you as 'they' when not using your name) and distribute stat points. The stats in this game aren't the usual ones found in most RPGs. There's no need to pick locks or muscle your way around -- it's all conversational.
The game begins with another crew member, Setsu, waking the player up from sleep to inform them of a Gnosia aboard the ship. As everyone meets, Setsu informs them of the protocol for this situation which is the basic gameplay loop. Together, you and the crew must determine which member is infected and place them into cryosleep to protect everyone else. You'll have five rounds to place suspicions, defend yourself or others and pay attention to what others are doing. At the end of the five rounds, everyone votes who will return to sleep. If you got it correct, the game will inform you and end; otherwise, you and the others return to your rooms to rest while the ship travels at warp speed, and one of you will be killed. Once out of warp and awake, the vote begins again but with one less person. If the Gnosia are equal to or outnumber the remaining human crew members, they win. You can also lose if you're killed or the one put to sleep.
The game doesn't simply end here, though, as Gnosia takes the concept of a gameplay loop a bit more literally than most games. The ship seems to be caught in some bizarre time warp, so the game enters the next loop at the end of each round. Each loop is different, which keeps things interesting. There may be different or more crew members awake, and the Gnosia and roles are never the same. That's right -- roles. As the loops continue, roles are added one or two at a time to allow players to adjust easier and add an extra layer of suspense.
The Engineer is the first role you'll receive, and it's a pretty useful one -- if it's you. The Engineer can test one character before each warp travel to see if they're infected and inform the others during the next meeting. It's sort of like The Thing when everyone's blood is tested to determine if they're human but less dramatic. However, this isn't as convenient as it sounds because anyone, including the Gnosia, can claim to be the Engineer and lie. On top of this, making yourself known as the Engineer and other certain roles can be dangerous. If you do happen to find one of the Gnosia, the burden of convincing the others is still on you too. There is also an option to not come forward with a role, so even if only one person claims it, it may still not be them. If you hide your role, you can reap the benefits and know who’s lying.
Roles are a really cool mechanic that creates tension and intrigue when determining who's lying and even more fun when playing a Gnosia and using the lie as a tool. It's a great way to remove those suspicious of you or to distract from your fellow Gnosia. Yes, even you can be infected, which is awesome; most single-player games don't let you be the bad guy. All of the roles are randomized every loop. Even when starting a fresh game, they're never the same after the first loop, which keeps things interesting. It's always exciting when one is assigned to you, and they can really shake up gameplay.
As mentioned earlier, there are stats or abilities to put points into that can unlock skills as you progress. They are Charisma, Logic, Intuition, Charm, Stealth and Performance, and each has its own benefits. For example, Charisma dictates how influential you are when persuading others to vote and can be especially useful for some roles. Performance, on the other hand, makes you a better liar, which can be helpful as a Gnosia, especially if posing in a role. At first, the explanation of these abilities can seem complicated, but you get the hang of it after a couple of rounds. Like roles, abilities add another layer to the game and together, they create an eerie atmosphere where everyone is looking over their shoulder because no one can be trusted.
While the main goal is to get rid of the Gnosia, there's much more going on here than a simple gameplay loop. A rich story is hiding within that's uncovered as loops increase. Setsu knows more than she lets on, and there's the Gnos themselves. At first, you're given basic information and think that's all you need until you learn there's more going on within and without the ship. How did the ship get infected? Why is it stuck in a time loop? Who are the Gnos exactly? These questions are answered as the game moves forward and odd things begin happening, keeping you invested. There's plenty of tidbits here for lore hounds and fans of a good story.
The game's overall style is gorgeous, too, with uniquely drawn characters in a beautiful watercolor style and cold backgrounds reminding you that you're confined with danger. When you lose a round to the Gnosia, characters turn into creepy versions of themselves, which are awesome to see. The UI is simple, and the help system is extensive, which is great since some mechanics can seem daunting or you may just need a better explanation. The music isn't particularly notable; only one song, which has a Xenoblade Chronicles X vibe, really stands out, but it does so in a good way.
At first, Gnosia seems like a fun murder mystery with a gameplay loop that deceives you into thinking it's just a fun murder mystery until you start getting hints of the hidden horrors within. While Among Us is the most obvious comparison, you'll notice plenty of other inspirations in Gnosia from the horror genre. If you love a good mystery, the RPG genre or are taking a break from Among Us, you'll likely enjoy Gnosia. It's a fantastic gem with more than meets the eye.