République is a fusion of everything its creators adore. Developer Camouflaj owes its pacing and puzzle design to Resident Evil, its core stealth philosophies and self-aware humor to Metal Gear Solid, and its world-building to Orwell’s Ninteen Eighty-Four.

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Facial capture helps sell Hope's desperation.

You can open doors for Hope, or lock them to trap enemies.

Independent of its inspirations, République does a remarkable job of creating its own identity. Clever presentation, appropriate use of the mobile platform, and generally smart game design add up to something that’s special, new, and necessary.République’s first episode , “Exordium,” is a subtle, satisfying story-based adventure with strong characterization in a marvelous dystopian world. It ponders paranoia, surveillance, oppression, censorship, revolution, and more, all in the first three hours of a larger, evolving story that pays off with a powerful cliffhanger ending.Hope, République’s young heroine, is a fugitive who turns to you for help, and the presentation of how you engage with her and the regime she wants to bring down is a strangely self-aware approach to mobile game design. It also works.Your mobile device is a window into her world. You’ll use it to remotely access security cameras, watch Hope’s back as she takes down or sneaks by guards, and answer her phone calls in her attempt to escape a containment facility called Metamorphosis.You’ll use security cameras to scout areas and guide Hope to safety, and it’s a refreshing approach to stealth. She takes cover, retrieves items, knocks out guards, and gets around fascinating, dystopian locales with simple, one-touch commands. It’s an intuitive slow-paced system, but because you’re engaging in so much, so often, the exploration and combat is surprisingly satisfying.Time freezes when you bounce from one camera to the next, allowing you to analyze a space, read hacked emails, answer phone calls, and find strangely self-aware secrets in the form of hilarious video game industry inside jokes.Hope never got caught lurking around because I wasn’t quick enough, and the possibility that she could be detected at any minute made for moments of quiet tension I loved. I always felt relieved when she made it through to the next area undetected, and I always wanted Hope to get there, because every room in République has fascinating things to say.Metamorphosis is a lonely place whose populace exclusively comprises prisoners and guards. Within its walls, the player is important enough to have control over the entirety of its surveillance and security systems. This, separate from the grander story about toppling a totalitarian regime, poses the provocative philosophical question of “Who watches the watchmen?”I kept wondering, “Who am I? As the player, what is my role, why am I helping Hope, and are my intentions pure?” The uncertainty of this all-seeing presence’s intent is another fascinating mystery layered atop a character story it was easy to invest in.Hope has meaningful life goals, and she’s interesting because she’s more than her anti-Big Brother cause. “Exordium” introduces enough about her to empathise with her motivations. She’d like to learn, to love, and to live, and she’s on her way to accomplishing this by subverting the system.The story here, at a base level, examines subjects like Orwellian oppression and an uprising happening within a the regime’s walls. It’s the confidential information you discover about those two sides that defines République’s greatness.République’s storytelling requires a lot of start-and-stop, which some may find tedious and dull. I embrace BioShock’s audio diaries and Metal Gear’s codec conversations, so seeking out additional context was something I pined for in République.I always wanted to know more about these characters and their relationships. The terrific performances create a persuasive compassion in Hope. The believable anxiety with Jennifer Hale’s Mireille and Khary Payton’s Derringer creates a dark, awkward disrespect between Metamorphosis’ ethically questionable security leaders. I’m excited to see that relationship come undone, certain characters’ true intentions, and other plot points I don’t dare spoil.Discovery exposes the history of Hope’s enemies, the uncertain demise of a revolutionary leader, and the depths of République’s societal structure. Metamorphosis’ secrets are hidden in recordings, imagery, and overheard conversations within the walls of its gorgeous antique architecture.Using your last screwdriver to open a vent may lead to valuable and limited tasers for taking out guards. You’ll just need to be tolerant of République’s Resident Evil-style backtracking and limited resources -- something that’s going to play into future episodes, for sure, since it locks you out of a ton of areas early on.Your espionage exposes conspiracies within conspiracies, and for mystery nerds, République’s strong first chapter unravels into something that could be incredible.