Why You Should Care About PS4 Console Exclusive République

Indie developer Camouflaj has brought its dystopian episodic stealth series to the PlayStation 4 and it’s a great win for the console.

When we first spoke to Camouflaj founder Ryan Payton, he told us he wanted to make a console-quality game for iOS. Payton wasn’t your average indie developer; a veteran of the blockbuster console space who had spent years working with Hideo Kojima on Metal Gear Solid, before jumping onto Halo at the dawn of 343 Industries’ tenure. So back in 2012, he took this idea to Kickstarter with high concept video and art, and a celebrity cast (including David Hayter, Jennifer Hale), and just scraped through at the last minute on his US$500,000 goal.

République recalls both the oppressive atmosphere of a BioShock or Half-Life, and the stealth gameplay of a Thief or Metal Gear Solid. Yet it feels truly unique. You play as you; an individual on the outside who makes contact with a young girl called Hope, who is being held against her will in a totalitarian fictional country called Metamorphosis. Here the elitist Prizrak citizens perform experiments on the pre-cals, which include people like Hope, and she desperately wants to escape.

You have hacked into Metamorphosis and you contact her by phone. She pleads for your help and as the silent protagonist, you guide Hope through a sprawling complex by viewing it through security cameras. Guiding her to secret areas, keeping her out of sight, instigating distractions and occasionally helping her with combat – which is effectively self-defence – is a unique playing experience that worked seamlessly on the touchscreen.

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We fell in love with République instantly; it has a visual style and production values that really did nail that “console game on iOS” feel. While the world’s lore, characters and story have become increasingly more intriguing as each episode has released. At the time of the game’s initial launch in late 2013, we featured it as our inaugural cover star for Grab It Magazine, including a detailed making of interview with Ryan Payton and other Camouflaj staff. It’s an amazing read and filled with exclusive assets, and if you have an iPad you can pick it up completely free here.

So for all the reasons listed above - Payton's background, similarities with BioShock and Metal Gear, killer voice cast and production values - the news the game is now available on PS4 as a console exclusive is great reason to celebrate. In addition, the developer has spent a year re-tweaking the controls and cover system to work with the DualShock, and we’ll also see all five episodes strung together in one cohesive campaign that will make for a meaty 10-hour experience.

If you can’t wait, you can start your République experience now on iOS here. Alternatively, enjoy our exclusive making of feature on iPad.

If you are wondering who we are, we're primarily a digital magazine for the iPad focused on the coverage of indie video games. Run by the former editor of Game Informer, you'll find worldwide exclusives, but also an interactive media experience unlike any you have seen before. If you have an iPad, you should check out the free sample issue at the very least, or enjoy one of our other episodes as listed below.

Get Every Episode:

- Episode 1 - Includes The Making of République (*free sample issue*)

- Episode 2 - Includes The Making of Oceanhorn

- Episode 3 - Includes The Making of Monument Valley

- Episode 4 - Includes The Making of Last Inua

- Episode 5 - Includes The Making of World of Tanks Blitz

- Grab It Episodes 2-5 Bundle

- Episode 6 - Includes The Making of Magic the Gathering

- Episode 7 - Includes The Making of Tiny Troopers Alliance and Midnight Star

- Episode 8 - The PAX AUS edition

- Grab It Presents Nihilumbra - Classics Collection

- Grab It Presents Ultimate Indie Game Reviews Vol 1.

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