Intro
BABBDI is a short, first person exploration game, where players are in Babbdi, a district in the outer ring of the megalopolis. Our objective is to figure out how to escape by talking to the inhabitants of BABBDI and using tools from around the map.
BABBDI was created by Sirius Lemaitre and Léonard Lemaitre. It is available on STEAM for free and for 16+ audiences.
BABBDI tells a story by allowing players to talk to NPCs who talk about their life in Babbdi and also by steering them in the right direction by giving them objectives and achievements to unlock as they explore.
Gameplay
I’ve never played a game similar to this one. The game was all about narrative and discovery. The game began with me being placed in a dark concrete corridor with no other players. Near me was an NPC that I could talk to. Here, I began to get a sense of what the situation was in the world I was spawned in. The NPC’s let me know early on that I had to obtain a train ticket to be able to leave Babbdi or I would not win the game. I continue finding other NPC’s to talk to and I find one that has a train ticket but I must do other things to get it from them. I explore the map freely because there were no boundaries, only the outer walls of Babbdi, so I needed to rely on the instructions of the NPCs and the suggestions of the achievements/objectives. As I explore, I discover new items and unlock achievements.
(LEFT: NPC players can interact with, RIGHT: Achievement/Objective Menu)
What that helped me explore the map and complete the objective more easily and efficiently was that the game integrated the mechanic of paved out routes for players to follow. If you go away from these routes you can end up lost, so I was strongly drawn to following these routes I know this from experience and had to find a way back. An example of these routes was having to do parkour on some concrete pillars. Another mechanic was that the items of the map were placed strategically in the way that it was obvious what I had to do to progress. The only way to get to the next step of the objective was to go through this obstacle course. Below is an example of one of these parkour maps:
I once got to a point where I didn’t know what to do next. Luckily, I was able to talk to an NPC who told me exactly where to find the next NPC that would get me one step closer to the objective. From this, I was able to get the tool I have on my left hand in the above picture. This led me to where the train ticket was located. There were also signs posted on the wall displaying where the train station was.
(This is what the train station looked like. An achievement was to get hit by train, so I jumped on the tracks to get the achievement.)
Lastly, as I was exploring, I found that there were a good amount of non-crucial details. For instance, I found a group of NPC that were dancing and having a party in an underground sewer. It was unsettling and I think it really added to the atmosphere of the game. Additionally, there was a random grandpa and wizard(?) who seemed to be confused or just not fully there. I think this made the game more creepy and added to the fantasy the game wanted to convey. All of the NPC’s heads would follow you as you walked by, which was even more creepy and unsettling but it made it more fun because there was a mutual interaction between you and the NPC.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I really enjoyed the game because I truly felt immersed in the atmosphere of the game, with its visuals, sound effects, and interactions. I think because although there was only one big objective, having other small achievements made the game more fun and feel like you are always making progress towards something as a player. This gives small dopamine boosts as you are playing and motivates you to continue playing. When comparing this game to another game like ABZU, I noticed that ABZU had cutscenes when you entered a new area in order to guide you further. Babbdi is a game where you can freely roam the map, but in order to complete the objective, its in your best interest to follow what the elements of the game are suggesting. Overall, I really enjoyed my exprience playing this game.
