Engrossing sci-fi noir

First things first: I am not a point-and-click adventure gamer. I have not played many of them, and if I have, I have not beat any of them. Enter Gemini Rue. It's kind of a miracle that it even managed to catch my interest, but after watching the great preview, I knew there was something more to this sci-fi noir game. Right from the start, I felt as if I was back on my SNES, playing some long-forgotten gem of an adventure game. The environments, all drawn by the game's sole creator Joshua Nuernberger, are incredibly detailed and it is a pleasure to just soak in the gritty atmosphere. You play as Azriel Odin, ex-assassin on the crime-ridden planet of Barracus, who is searching for his kidnapped brother--whom you also control for certain segments of the game. As Delta-Six--Azriel's brother--you must go through a series of tests while trying to find out why your memory was erased and what exactly you are doing in this sterile facility. However, things are not as they seem, not the facility and not even the people you meet. You may not be able to tell the truth to anyone. The puzzles were intuitive and enjoyable, but at times tedious since there is no "run" option. I was also annoyed that I could not pause during dialogue moments, but these are very minor issues in an otherwise tremendously satisfying game. Without revealing any key spoilers, the plot is cerebral, intended for a mature audience that deals with questions of the fallibility of memory, the mystery of knowing oneself, the uncertainty of the past and the future, crime and morals, and, especially, trust. No one trusts anyone on Barracus, and for a good reason. Tell someone too much about yourself and you will wind up as the next corpse on the trash heap. Don't miss this engrossing indie gem.

9/10