[PREVIEW] NODE: The Last Favor of the Antarii – A Blend of Puzzles and Platforming

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The Cerebral Puzzle Showcase brought us a multitude of games that might not always be on every gamer’s radar. But what if you combine that genre with platforming capabilities, not by directly controlling the main character, but by issuing commands? Then you get the game NODE: The Last Favor of the Antarii. The demo version, which is still available to play, is quite long and will immerse you in the world of a fictional Soviet Russia.

Set in the decaying ruins of Toska, a fictional Soviet nuclear complex in Siberia in 2034, you control NODE, an autonomous AI robot tasked with preventing a catastrophic reactor meltdown. This game introduces a unique timeline-based command system where you plan actions (for examplke, movement, jumping, interactions) to solve puzzles.

A Game That Will Challenge Your Brain

The gameplay is quite detailed and demands precision. You can choose how many seconds or even tenths of a second your character moves, then command it to jump over an obstacle and continue moving – all to get from one checkpoint to the next.

The gameplay is based on a unique command system where you don’t control NODE in real-time. Instead, you set a series of actions, like moving forward, jumping, pausing, interacting, or turning, on a timeline and then press “play” to execute those commands. You can precisely determine the exact second or tenth of a second your character must perform an action to reach the next checkpoint.

However, the path to stopping the nuclear reactor will not be easy; it’s full of traps, crumbling walls, holes, and stairs. If NODE fails to reach the goal, you go back, adjust the timeline, and try again, which creates a loop of trial and error. The game requires precise planning, as actions must be synchronized with environmental elements like moving platforms or timed switches.

Puzzle Games Can Always Surprise with Their Creativity

NODE: The Last Favor of the Antarii doesn’t just offer pure gameplay; it also has an accompanying story. You’ll be able to talk to your creators and choose narrative dialogues if you want to learn more about the world or simply execute the given commands. All of this is, of course, linear, so you don’t have too many choices about certain things, and it’s unclear whether your decisions affect the story’s progression. The game world is also quite dark and very atmospheric, helped by excellent graphics that are truly beautiful and full of detail.

Unfortunately, this game has a major problem: you cannot view the entire map while setting commands on the timeline. Instead, you first have to command the robot to move, explore, and scout the area, and only then return to fix and devise a movement plan. This is certainly not ideal because it wastes a lot of your time. This is somewhat mitigated because you can speed up the movement time. Additionally, there are a lot of repetitive puzzles. While this is somewhat acceptable when you realize the entire structure has its own pattern, it can definitely be distracting.

The demo version did a very good job of showcasing the game’s main features; everything is done quite well, and I recommend at least trying it. It was interesting to avoid lasers and mathematically study and calculate how much time you need for a certain action. However, the feeling is that the game doesn’t spare your time; there will be a lot of repetition and frustrating moments. Despite this, it is a truly impressive title that puzzle lovers will be thrilled with.