The peaceful town of Champaner holds life sacred above all else. A calamitous virus capable of turning people into blood-thirsty beasts called Raakshasas threatens Champaner’s harmonious ways. In response, King Marcos orders the kidnapping and execution of all Raakshasas including Seth, the leader of the beasts. Seth flees and forms a rival town called Gibsonia, a safe haven for anyone who has or could turn into a Raakshasa. He then opens a powerful rift over Champaner, capable of destroying the kingdom at any time.
At the center of this developing war is a fated one-armed man named Jehan who lived in Champaner, until his father was killed. Jehan’s malleability and freedom of choice form the crux of Hindsight 20/20. Will he uphold the values of his hometown by avoiding bloodshed? Or will the murder of his father fuel him with a rage that can only be quelled with the death of those responsible? Perhaps there is a middle ground, where violence justifies a peaceful end. Survive in a world of grey by deciding who Jehan really is and what motivates him.
Before every battle, choose whether Jehan will be merciful or relentless by wielding either a baton to stun enemies or a blade to cut them down. Conflict is unavoidable in tumultuous times, but using the stun baton convinces residents of Champaner that Jehan respects their beliefs, even if he still resorts to combat. Enemy behavior changes based on weapon choice. Soldiers fight desperately when they believe their lives might be in danger. Earn fearsome, violent abilities by killing, or resourceful skills based on pacifism by choosing the high road.
On PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, Hindsight 20/20 runs at 4K/60FPS with improved post-processing effects like light bloom and ambient occlusion. The PlayStation 5 version provides a more immersive experience via the DualShock’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.
“Hindsight was developed around our custom-built Experience Engine that grants players deeper choices and consequences,” said Hemanshu Chhabra, creative director at Triple-I Games. “We don’t want our dilemmas to be black and white, and we hope our game makes you carefully consider your actions when it releases in September.”
Decisions have long-lasting repercussions. When a best friend considers suicide due to Raakshasa infection, talking him down may seem like the “right” thing to do. But if he turns and kills, who is at fault? Sparing Jehan’s father’s killer preserves Champaner’s values, but he may return, stronger and more ruthless than before. Hindsight 20/20 explores themes of morality at times of crisis, segregation, regret, peace, and self-criticism. Sometimes the smallest actions have the largest consequences. Drastically different endings inspire multiple playthroughs.
Resolve conflict through ruthless or merciful means, solve environmental puzzles, complete side quests and forge Jehan’s personal path in a fantastical world that merges technology and magic. The stylized aesthetic inspired by classic Zelda games is punctuated with a wide-ranging musical sweep of tragedy, majesty, and primal forces.
Consisting of veterans from BioWare, ArenaNet, Sucker Punch Studios and Amazon Games Studios, Triple-I Games came together when Hemanshu Chhabra came to his friends with a vision: to make a game that would help a younger, self-critical version of himself understand what “hindsight 20/20” really means.
Hindsight 20/20 is coming to Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5 Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC/Mac (Steam) on September 9, 2021.
More articles about Hindsight 20/20: Wrath of the Raakshasa