Relooted: A Heist Game with a Cultural Twist
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South African developer Nyamakop unveils a game centered around returning stolen artifacts.
During the Day Of The Devs Summer Game fest Showcase, Nyamakop, a South African developer, in collaboration with Mooncat Games, introduced “Relooted.” This heist game revolves around a group of thieves endeavoring to return priceless artifacts to the cultures that deeply value them.
Each mission in “Relooted” unfolds across three distinct phases. Initially, players scout the museum to pinpoint the target artifact. Later, they infiltrate the building, meticulously crafting their escape route while evading guards and navigating obstacles.the objective is to seize the artifact and execute their escape plan, utilizing the path established in the second phase.
A notable aspect of “Relooted” is that the targeted artifacts are not fictional creations.Instead, they are genuine ancient artifacts currently housed in Western museums. Each in-game artifact is accompanied by a concise biography detailing its origin, the culture from which it originated, and the reasons for its cultural importance.
Real Artifacts,Real History
As an example,the Ngadji Drum,featured during the Day Of The Devs segment,is a drum belonging to the Pokomo people,discovered in africa in the 1870s. British colonists stole the drum in the early 1900s and sent it to a museum. 114 years later, the brother of the Pokomo king was the first person to see the drum since its theft, when he was brought to the museum and allowed to view it in storage.
“Each in-game artifact comes with a brief biography of its origin, the culture in which it originated, and why that artifact is so revered by that culture.”
The Day Of The Devs presentation also showcased world premieres and updates for several upcoming indie games, including “Big Walk” from “Untitled goose Game” developer House House, and “mixtape” from “The Artful Escape” developer Beethoven & Dinosaur. Additionally, “Snap And Grab,” an ’80s-themed heist game from No goblin and Annapurna Interactive, was announced, along with a new look at “Possessors” from Heart Machine and Devolver Digital.
“Relooted” is slated for release on Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. A specific release window was not disclosed during the Day Of The devs livestream.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is cultural artifact repatriation?
- Cultural artifact repatriation is the process of returning cultural objects or artifacts to their country or culture of origin, frequently enough to correct historical injustices and preserve cultural heritage.
- Why is repatriation crucial?
- Repatriation is important for preserving cultural identity, restoring dignity to communities, and rectifying the wrongs of colonialism and looting.
- What are some examples of prosperous repatriation?
- Examples include Germany returning Benin Bronzes to Nigeria and the United States enacting NAGPRA to return Native American cultural items.
