N.E.R.O.: Nothing Ever Remains Obscure

Even after finishing, it's difficult to pin NERO down to a concept or feeling that's easy to explain. It's a game that prioritizes emotion above all else, and it does so wonderfully. But as the boy at the heart of this tale learns, emotions are tough to understand, and thus NERO is tough to understand. You'll just know that you felt something, and that sensation alone is worth the journey.

N.E.R.O. intrigues as an interactive visual novel, but it fails in its attempts to be a game. The puzzles here are laughably easy, and they subsequently get in the way of the storytelling. There are some beautiful cutscenes and an interesting story here, but they're too often impeded by unenjoyable gameplay.

Your mileage may vary depending on how much the story grabs you, but most will find that the asking price here is too high for what you get.

'Nero' may have some rough edges and frame rate problems, but the brief experience offers a genuinely affecting story that lives up to the 'interactive novel' billing.

A little below the technical standards of this generation, and not so brilliant in terms of puzzles, N.E.R.O. manages to narrate an intimate and devastating tragedy, in a very touching way.

If you're interested in an emotionally charged puzzler for less than $20 (before tax), then NERO (Nothing Ever Remains Obscure) could be a solid buy.

I had a good time with N.E.R.O. Sure, some people don't like the "walking simulator" genre in which the game will probably be included, but for me, it felt more like an interactive visual novel with a solid narrative that kept me interested from start to finish. After doing my N.E.RO.: Nothing Ever Remains Obscure review, I can wholeheartedly recommend that you buy this PlayStation 4 release.

N.E.R.O.: Nothing Ever Remains Obscure is a walking simulator that's stuck somewhere in the middle of the road. It hides plenty of secrets, the atmosphere is also there, but the technical issues and unnecessary simplicity drag the title down.

N.E.R.O. fails at generating an exciting or mentally challenging experience, but it really doesn't try to. This visually stunning title places a great emphasis on its narrative, which is both uplifting and devastating – you'll be thinking about this one for a long time afterwards.

As a story-focused first-person adventure game, NERO is quite remarkable. It's surreal, heartfelt, bittersweet, and thought-provoking, and that should have been more than enough to carry it without the need for shoehorned-in "gameplay". As it is, it's a very good game, but it would have been so much better if it hadn't tried so hard to avoid the "walking simulator" criticism and just ran with its strengths.