Umurangi Generation

Umurangi Generation is a first-person simulation video game developed by Origame Digital and licensed to and published by Active Gaming Media Inc. in English speaking territories, and published by Playism for Japanese and Chinese localization. Umurangi Generation was released for PC on May 19, 2020. A set of DLC levels titled Umurangi Generation Macro released on November 7, 2020.

Umurangi Generation
Developer(s)Origame Digital
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Tali Faulkner
Composer(s)ThorHighHeels
EngineUnity
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
ReleaseMay 19, 2020
Genre(s)First-person, Simulation game
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

Umurangi Generation is a first-person photography game, with the player being tasked to take photos under certain circumstances (such as photographing a specific piece of graffiti with a specific camera lens) But with a heavy emphasis on creativity, with the game allowing the player multiple methods, techniques and opportunities for achieving their photography bounties, as well as complete freedom over any editing or effects put on photos.[1] The game utilizes multiple unlockable camera and lens attachments to provide different effects, such as telephoto and fisheye lenses.

Umurangi Generation Macro

A DLC for the game, titled Umurangi Generation Macro was released on November 7, 2020, adding four new levels and new camera systems, such as shutter speed, apertures and ISO adjustments, as well as a bonus selfie camera and an attachment stylized after the Game Boy Camera that produces low resolution photos. Roller skates were also added, giving the player the ability to traverse around the world faster, as well as a spray can for the player to paint objects in the world.[2]

Plot

Umurangi Generation takes place in Tauranga, Aotearoa in the near future, with the player taking the role of a Maori courier for the Tauranga Express. Taking place during an impending crisis, where major cities are walled off and the United Nations has deployed military soldiers as well as towering mecha in order to defend the island nation against alien invaders which bear a striking resemblance to bluebottle jellyfish (one of the only things in the game the player is penalized for photographing). The player travels around setting such as a rooftop party, a military checkpoint, and an evacuation train to take pictures along with their friends, Micha, Atarau, Kete, and an unnamed chinstrap penguin.[3]

In-game advertisements and images provide further context, such as local resistance against the UN occupation, the prime minister being away on holiday during the crisis, and a dangerous contagious parasite epidemic.

The game ends with a cataclysmic scene of a shadowy creature perched over a mountain, and the player must walk to a beach with several spirits of Maori people, mud crabs, and Huia, an extinct bird, who overlook the catastrophe. The game ends dedicating itself to the "Umurangi Generation: The last generation who has to watch the world die."

Development

Umurangi Generation was developed by a Maori developer, Naphtali Faulkner. Faulkner developed the game in 10 months, starting full-time work on the project at the start of 2020. Before development, Faulkner worked on community apps with local Aboriginal groups, and would dabble in smaller projects in his free time. Faulkner says that Umurangi Generation is the first "real" game he's made.[4]

Faulkner was inspired to make the game's photography system after teaching their younger cousin how to use a DSLR camera, and noting that explaining it to him felt like a video game tutorial. The gameplay was also inspired by the item management of the ARMA series noting that the loadouts for characters in ARMA felt like accessories that the player gets to play with minute to minute.[4]

The concept of the game's world and themes stemmed from the Australian government's response to the recent bush fires, as well as the COVID-19 epidemic, and Faulkner's frustration at both epidemics being mishandled, despite the knowledge that the government had about climate change and virus control.[5][4] Faulker views the game as a criticism of neoliberalism, stating that the goal of the political system is to comfort people in the face of elements that serve to harm them.[5]

Faulkner's inspiration for the game's philosophy came from his history with Respectful Design, a design philosophy with an emphasis on decolonization of art.[4][6] Faulkner is a member of the Ngai Te Rangi iwi (tribe) of New Zealand, and Maori culture can be seen throughout the game. "Umurangi" is Te Reo for "Red Sky," and the Huia, a traditional bird used in Maori ritual that was hunted to extinction, was planned to have a bigger role, but its feathers were only incorporated into wall art.[4]

Further inspiration for the setting and visual style included Neon Genesis Evangelion, Jet Set Radio, Shin Godzilla, and the designs of Yoji Shinkawa.[4] Cyberpunk themes were also influential, but Faulkner became frustrated with the aesthetic refusing to evolve and continuing to be a reflection of the 1980's, when the genre had first developed. Faulkner's goal was to have Umurangi Generation be a reflection of the modern era,[5] and has opted to use the term "shitty future" to categorize the game.[7]

Reception

The game received positive reviews from critics.[8]

Khee Hoon Chan gave the game a 9/10 for GameSpot, and praised its beautiful environments and engaging photography mechanic, as well as it's biting social commentary that served to reinvigorate the ideas behind cyberpunk from a new perspective.[9]

Mikhail Klimentov writing for The Washington Post also noted the game's unambiguous and sincere storytelling, and how the game forced the player to confront the realities of the fictional universe in-game as well as our own world, by exploring in order to document it.[10]

References
  1. "PLAYISM - Steam News Hub". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  2. Clayton, Natalie (2020-11-07). "From graffiti to giant robots, Umurangi Generation's Macro DLC isn't messing around". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  3. "Steam Community :: Guide :: Photo Bounty Walkthrough". steamcommunity.com. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  4. "Talking Climate Change And Maōri Culture With Umurangi Generation". The Indie Game Website. 2020-06-05. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  5. "Umurangi Generation's approach to modernizing cyberpunk". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  6. Reitsma, Lizette; Light, Ann; Zaman, Tariq; Rodgers, Paul (2019-04-01). "A Respectful Design Framework. Incorporating indigenous knowledge in the design process". The Design Journal. 22 (sup1): 1555–1570. doi:10.1080/14606925.2019.1594991. ISSN 1460-6925.
  7. "Umurangi Generation". umurangi.tapiki.io. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  8. "Umurangi Generation". Metacritic. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  9. "Umurangi Generation Review - Cyberpunk Snap". GameSpot. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  10. Klimentov, Mikhail. "Review | 'Umurangi Generation': A photography game that urges you to look closer". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
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