# 1000xRESIST

1000xRESIST is a 2024 video game created by independent developer Sunset Visitor and published by Fellow Traveller Games for Windows and the Nintendo Switch. The game is an adventure video game in which players assume the role of a clone named Watcher, in the post-apocalyptic far future where aliens have eradicated most of humanity through a global pandemic, leaving only a small society of clones behind. Upon release, the game received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise directed to the its narrative and treatment of themes relating to the experience of members of diaspora communities, the legacies of conflict, intergenerational trauma and the coronavirus pandemic. Several critics described 1000xRESIST as one of the best games of 2024. Following release, the game received nominations for several awards at the 2024 Independent Games Festival, including a shortlist for the Seumas McNally Grand Prize.

## Gameplay

Gameplay involves environmental exploration and conversational choices, similar to walking simulators. In many levels, the player is able to jump forward or backwards in a given memory to explore areas previously inaccessible, or to see characters experience different time periods. Unlocking these additional time periods is sometimes contingent on completing a puzzle or conversation. The game features many optional conversations and interactions.

## Plot

The story of 1000xRESIST is presented in nonlinear fragments. Over the game's ten chapters, it is revealed to be set in a post-apocalyptic future after humanity was nearly eradicated in 2047 by an alien force known as the Occupants. With the exception of scenes set before the Occupant invasion, the year of any given level is often unknown, or unclear due to society adopting a different calendar of year numbering scheme. Humans are nearly extinct due to a pandemic brought by the Occupants that causes moisture to drain from the eyes of the afflicted. Many years after the pandemic, remaining human life inhabits an undersea vessel, the Orchard. The Allmother is a survivor of the invasion of the Occupants (one of few known to be immune to the pandemic), creating five clones of herself called Sisters, each with a specific role and purpose in the Orchard. The player assumes the role of Watcher, a Sister who is tasked to record and interpret the life story of the Allmother through a process known as Communion.
Exploring memories in fragments and out of order, the player explores the Allmother's memories through the perspective of her former identity, Iris. This is done via a process known as Communion. Through Communions, the player explores the relationship between Iris and her parents, who emigrated from Hong Kong during the 2019–2020 protests, and her friend Jiao, who recently emigrated from China.

## Development

1000xRESIST was created by Sunset Visitor, a four-person development team based in Vancouver, Canada, with backgrounds in theatre, new media, dance and performance art. Creative director Remy Siu stated the game began as a prototype in March 2020 following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, during a period when the developers were unable to perform or tour and decided to enter video game development. The characters in the game were animated using Rokoko motion capture technology.
1000xRESIST was announced with the release of a trailer in September 2022, and a demo was showcased at Steam Next Fest in February 2023. The full version of the game was published by Fellow Traveller on 9 May 2024 on PC and the Nintendo Switch. The game was distributed as part of a Summer Narrative Celebration Humble Bundle in September 2024.

## Reception

Aggregate score :
| Aggregator | Score | Score |
| Aggregator | NS | PC |
| Metacritic | 86% | 85% |
Review scores :
| Publication | Score | Score |
| Publication | NS | PC |
| Destructoid | | 85% |
| Edge | 8/10 | |
| Eurogamer | | 4/5 |
| IGN | | 9/10 |
| Nintendo World Report | 90% | |
| TouchArcade | 5/5 | |
| Financial Times | | |
| Paste | | 9.7 |
| Siliconera | | 90% |
| Softpedia | | 4/5 |
According to review aggregator Metacritic, 1000xRESIST received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, with the site identifying the game as one of the highest-rated of the first half of 2024. Several critics described 1000xRESIST as one of the best games of 2024.
Many critics praised the game's themes, with reviewers noting its content explored the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the experiences of members of diaspora communities, and of conflict and intergenerational trauma. Tom Faber of the Financial Times stated the game explores "existential themes and contemporary global politics with a sophistication and maturity that are still lamentably rare in gaming". Josh Torres of RPG Site lauded the game for its "illustration of the different struggles of immigration across generations", highlighting its treatment of themes around intergenerational trauma, conflict and the "intricacies of Asian diaspora".
The writing of 1000xRESIST was similarly praised. Faber considered the game to be a "feat of storytelling" and commended the game's "uniformly superb" writing as "poetic, poignant and humorous". Ed Smith of PCGamesN stated the game "might be the best videogame story ever told", highlighting the developers' "command of dialogue, characterization, staging, symbolism and visual metaphor". Finding 1000xRESIST to be "purposed" in its writing, Michael Higham of IGN highlighted the game's worldbuilding and characterisation, praising the characters as fully-formed, rich in personality and expressing genuine warmth in their interactions.
The visual presentation received generally positive comments. Oisin Kuhnke of VG247 described the game as "visually stunning" and "the most boldly art directed game of the year". Higham did not consider the game as graphically impressive, but expressed that the game let "its creative techniques speak as loud as its words" through the use of "striking" colors and camera angles. Faber found the game's graphics to "underwhelm" but be compensated by a "strong" and "stylish" artistic direction.

### Accolades

1000xRESIST was nominated as a finalist for the Seumas McNally Grand Prize, Excellence in Narrative and Nuovo Award at the 2024 Independent Games Festival.