Unmatchable Review

The World has Changed

To stave off the growing rate of femicide, the government made it illegal for women to go out alone. Like prohibition, this was not a good idea. A story-driven RPG from Ludogram and Serieplay, Unmatchable takes you on a journey through a dystopian future. Follow the rules or defy the system; you decide.

Trouble in the Motor City

In a near-future Detroit, you are Daria, a purple-haired, tough-as-nails woman angry at the world. Forced to leave her high paying ‘men’s work’ job, Daria does odd jobs for her friend Miley to get by. She is not about to date or marry a guy just to have a stable life. However, if she wants to go out and have fun, she needs to rent one. By using the illegal app Fibber, Daria can get a fake boyfriend or husband for a hefty fee. If she and the guy are found out by the cops, they’ll be fined and possibly imprisoned. It’s a risk she’s willing to take, as her troubled and painful past has closed her heart to love. The characters of Unmatchable are both well-written and sympathetic. Plus, character and background art are gorgeous, and all the people have a distinctive look, even the side characters.

Gameplay & Small Hitches

To advance through Unmatchable, you get two different choices at significant moments in the story. Unlike most choice-based games, for example Awakening of the Eclipse, there’s no obvious ‘bad’ option. You find out the effect of your decision later in the story instead of immediately after it’s made. This difference makes the story more exciting in that you never know how others are going to react to you. Additionally, you won’t know if a choice helps you or lands you in jail until it’s too late. Pacing changes with the tone, and it feels like you’re attending a party or running from police right along with Daria. The story is even more engaging and harder to put down with this setup. It also helps that the chapters and choices are free. No pay-to-play here. Unmatchable updates every Wednesday so it’s not that long a wait to continue playing.

It’s hard to be critical of this game, but there are things that need mentioning. The dialogue sometimes has spelling and grammar errors, but nothing so extreme that the story becomes unreadable. At one point, I’d chosen one option only to have the characters say I’d picked the other later on. This has only happened once, so it’s unclear if this was a fluke or something to be concerned about. Unmatchable also has ads that can be taken away for a one-time purchase of $5.49. The ads could be a problem if a player gets annoyed easily, but they only show up once or twice a chapter. It will depend on the player if the money is spent or not.

Fight the Power

Unmatchable is an RPG that’s both hard to put down and beautiful to look at. Navigate a dystopian world where women can no longer be alone against the backdrop of a futuristic Detroit. You never know what choice will help or hinder and you’ll always want more at the end of each chapter. There is the occasional ad and a few spelling/grammar mistakes, but don’t let those turn you away from this well-written game.