Plenty of stories have explored the notion of what would happen if World World II had played out differently, but Paradise Lost, developed by PolyAmorous and published by All in! Games, does so in a way that feels sharper than most imagined alternate realities. Players aren’t a soldier fighting against a supreme ruler or a refugee traveling across a nuclear wasteland. Instead, Paradise Lost puts players in the shoes of a young boy in search of his presumed father after the world of the past has been wiped away in the aftermath of nuclear warfare.
However, players won’t be exploring a barren landscape transformed by radiation. Instead, they will take a deep descent into the dark and twisted ruins of a technologically advanced German bunker, and will uncover its secrets tucked away in every corner. Despite not having the most interesting gameplay mechanics, Paradise Lost delivers a rich storyline set in a beautifully crafted world that are both awe-inspiring in their intricacy.
Paradise Lost’s landscape and story change as the player progresses through the bunker’s catacombs, but both are attention grabbers from start until finish. The ominous bunker starts as a massive industrial train yard but transforms into luxurious shopping centers and fascinating villages. If there is one reason to play Paradise Lost, it’s to experience the digital architecture that PolyAmorous managed to create in this title.
The storyline is second to Paradise Lost’s environment, but not by much. What starts as a historical mystery set in Nazi Germany slowly transforms into a sci-fi thriller that puts player’s morals to the test. However, the game’s story is told through context clues and lengthy written letters can be skipped, and likely will be skipped due to the amount of reading some letters require. Taking the time to read every letter and listen to every audio recording helps make the world feel fuller, however, and the story won’t feel as disjointed or confusing. That being said, some of the story is still hard to follow because of the manner in which it is told. The voice acting is also awkward at times, which has a greater negative impact on the game overall because it is such a large part of the storytelling.
There are some moments in Paradise Lost that can be triggering because of their content, so players will want to make sure they have a grasp of the game’s subject matter before playing. Some language used in letters can be offensive, and some sequences contain triggering content such as implied sexual assault, mass murder, and genocide. However, Paradise Lost doesn’t explore these topics in a way that is meant to cause offense, and these sequences help build the depressing world Paradise Lost is set in. All of these instances can be avoided, and the game gives slight warnings before each instance, which is a welcome feature.
Paradise Lost is a very narrative-heavy experience, and as a result, there’s nothing too complex in terms of gameplay. Walking, clicking, reading, and the occasional dialogue option are all the actions available in this four-hour journey. The dialogue choices rarely have any effect on the game with the exception of the game’s final sequence, but the biggest issue in Paradise Lost is how slow the player moves. He maintains a snail’s pace throughout the entire journey, and while it can be effective given the game’s gloomy atmosphere, it probably wouldn’t hurt Paradise Lost to speed up movement a fair bit to help pacing.
For those looking for a very good storyline set in the gorgeous underbelly of a retro-futuristic bunker, it’ll be hard to find a modern title that beats Paradise Lost. The closest comparison for both story and setting would be the Bioshock series. Despite not having weapons or intense moments of action, Paradise Lost manages to deliver a mind-bending story that won’t soon be forgotten.
Paradise Lost is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Screen Rant was provided a Steam code for the purposes of this review.
