Centum – Unique Narrative Game

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• DEVELOPER: Hack The Publisher
• PUBLISHER: Serenity Forge
• PLATFORMS: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
• GENRE: Narrative / Point & Click
• RELEASE DATE: March 11, 2025
• INITIAL PRICE: 14.99€
• REVIEWED VERSION: PC

Centum throws you into a disorienting world, presented as “a long-lost game that was never released,” blending retro aesthetics with a modern approach to AI and existential dread. You begin the game as a prisoner in a cell with a simple task – to escape. But Centum quickly defies expectations: is escape the real goal or merely a distraction from a deeper truth? This title was developed by Hack The Publisher, an independent studio from Tallinn, Estonia, known for the games Dwarven Skykeep (2022) and Vengeance of Mr. Peppermint (2023), and it offers 3-5 hours of gameplay, with a high level of replayability thanks to five different endings.

Story and Atmosphere: A Tapestry of Doubt

Centum’s story is at its very core and is simultaneously the game’s most controversial aspect. You wake up in a sparse cell with a bed, a window, a table, and a rat trap, guided by a mysterious narrator whose instructions are enigmatic. Already in the first interactions, such as cutting your finger in the trap or growing a tree using your own blood, the game suggests that this is a surreal, perhaps even allegorical, narrative. As you progress, you switch to a computer interface, clicking through programs, reading eerie emails, and playing mini-games that shift perspective: are you a prisoner, a programmer, or something else entirely?

The story revolves around an Artificial Intelligence, whose behavior you shape with your own choices, influencing its “Ego States” which lead to different outcomes, including the “Artist,” the “Warrior,” the “Prophet,” the “Assassin,” or an undetermined result. Through the theme of reality, identity, and the ethics of AI technology, the game critiques the unreliability of generative systems. The narrator’s hints are intentionally misleading, while the bizarreness of the characters, such as a rat with a human head dripping snot or a shape-shifting cat, further heightens the unease. There is no classic protagonist; you are a co-creator of a story that refuses clear answers.

Visually, Centum relies on pixel art, which evolves over time, from simple walls to detailed laboratories, decaying cities, and grotesque, fleshy landscapes. The art style, combined with eerie drones and subtle melodies, creates a nightmare that haunts you even after playing, although the game is not particularly violent. Sound effects, like dripping blood and creaking doors, further deepen the immersion into the game world, although the music can become repetitive over time. Centum skillfully leaves a mark on your subconscious, but its refusal to provide clear explanations might deter players looking for a concrete story resolution.

Clicking Through the Unknown

Centum is a point-and-click adventure with light puzzle-solving elements and dialogue choices. You interact with highlighted objects, whether wiping a cloth on the window, poisoning a rat, or decoding a cipher, while simultaneously managing a dynamic dialogue system that shapes the AI’s personality. Every click and decision is tracked through a three-day cycle, where progress resets unless you uncover a “permanent change,” a key mechanic related to the game’s time loop. Mini-games, such as a Duck Hunt-style shooter or a 16-bit driving sequence, occasionally shift the pace of the gameplay, but they are only an essential part of the experience.

The puzzles range from the intuitive to the abstract, reflecting the game’s philosophy—the feeling of being lost is intentional. There are no clear instructions, accessibility options are minimal, and progress often depends on trial and error. Additionally, the desktop interface adds a meta layer to the gameplay, with emails and files hinting at a larger mystery, although they serve more for atmosphere than functional assistance.

The gameplay is deliberately minimalist, prioritizing the narrative over the playing mechanics. This fits the game’s artistic vision but might disappoint those looking for complex puzzles or dynamic action. The horror stems from psychological tension, disturbing visuals, and enigmatic dialogues, rather than classic jump scares, which makes the experience slow but rewarding for patient players, while testing the tolerance threshold of others.

Variations of Endings

As already mentioned, your actions, dialogue responses, puzzle solutions, and mini-game results feed into an invisible algorithm that tracks the AI’s personality. The game does not reveal the exact triggers (there are no moral bars or stats screens), but the patterns become clear. For example, the “Warrior” ending occurs when you choose aggressive decisions, such as poisoning everything in sight or excelling in combat mini-games.

On the other hand, the “Prophet” ending is the result of philosophical and introspective decisions, where deciphering codes and engaging with the narrator’s riddles leads to a visionary AI. However, you can never be completely sure which ending you will get. Each ending is brief, lasting 5-10 minutes, and consists of text, visuals, and audio, but is layered with hidden meaning. The narrator’s tone changes, while the final form of the AI (a serene figure, a massive beast) reflects your influence.

The game has good replayability, as uncovering all endings requires deliberate changes in playstyle. The pacifist approach differs greatly from the role of the assassin, while the Prophet’s path demands patience for the game’s most demanding puzzles. Additionally, Easter eggs, such as a hidden email or a whispered piece of advice from the rat, appear on repeated playthroughs. The endings in Centum are subtle and impressionistic, relying more on atmosphere than explicit explanation.

Centum is a Game You Should Not Miss

Since the game does not give a clear insight into how your decisions accumulate, you might accidentally reach different endings. While the endings match the game’s simple style, they can feel a bit disappointing after 3-5 hours of tension building. There are also certain technical issues, such as a bug that resets dialogue choices mid-game, which can spoil your plans. Despite this, the variety and depth of the endings make each one interesting, even if the bigger picture remains unclear.

Centum is hard to define, part psychological horror, part AI critique, part point-and-click adventure. It is a brief but powerful experience, intended for players who love mysteries and have no problem with a story that doesn’t hold your hand. Its atmosphere and ideas are its greatest strength, lingering in the mind like a half-remembered nightmare. However, its simple mechanics and ambiguous narrative style might leave the impression that it relies more on ambiance than on actual depth.

Review copy provided by the publisher