Judas

Judas is a shooting game with an emphasis on narrative from the creators of Bioshock, where you join unlikely allies to escape a disintegrating starship. You explore the ruined corridors, meet strange, malfunctioning cyborgs and robots, and use your robotically-augmented body parts to aid your and gun-based killing of enemies. It's unusual not only because of its setting and narrative but also for its novel twist on combat and its varied cast of complex characters.

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You play Judas, a woman with a mysterious past and robotic enhancements, who's stuck on a huge spaceship that's falling apart. To survive the catastrophe collapse, you either ally yourself with your opponents and work together to undo the damage or risk trying to use your skills to survive the myriad dangers posed by the ship and its malfunctioning and deadly inhabitants. It's set in a dark and bizarre future filled with strange, unsettling characters and machines.

You move through the abandoned, decrepit spaces, using your gun to shoot at enemies you encounter, both robotic and human. Additionally, you also use a machine implanted in your left hand to perform various actions, from deflecting and absorbing incoming lasers to setting things and enemies on fire. You only have a limited number of uses for certain actions before you need to restock in set locations, so ensuring you use your abilities strategically is essential. You upgrade yourself at specific locations and unlock new items as you progress. In addition to combat, you talk to the people you meet and choose whether to forge alliances or remain alone.

The result is a novel mix of engaging narrative and combat that's a mix of fast-paced shooting and strategic use of robotic abilities, all set in a unique sci-fi world that's well-realised and engaging.

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Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Judas 16 months ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 15 months ago.