You won’t have to wait long to see how the creators of not tonight face American politics. PanicBarn and No More Heroes have revealed its title of “political dark comedy” not tonight 2 be available on Steam February 11th, with a console version coming in late 2022. A final PC beta will be released on January 28th. As teased at the beginning, the game continues that papers, please– style focus on identity verification as security while playing minigames – and, of course, tackling US political issues head-on.
The game revolves around Kevin, Malik and Mari as they travel across an ‘alternative’ USA to save their friend Eduardo from deportation. just like the first not tonight, the sequel doesn’t punch – it examines climate change denial, anti-immigration policies, American religious views, and the pitfalls of capitalism. While there are certainly silly parts (like serving poutine in a Canadian-controlled Montana), the point is as much to make you think about sensitive issues as it is to have fun.
The series is, in some ways, a critique of the gaming industry’s aversion to politics. Heavyweights like Ubisoft will claim their games are not politicians even when this is clearly not true, and others will simply walk away from politics altogether. PanicBarn’s game effectively challenges developers to embrace political commentary – that is, risk alienating some customers in the name of a statement.
All products recommended by Ploonge are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.