Death of the Reprobate (2024)

Death of the Reprobate (2024), developed and published by Joe Richardson

Joe Richardson has finally released his 3rd game in his series of games designed over old master paintings. The first was Four Last Things (2017), a game about sin, death, judgement, heaven and hell. The second was Procession to Calvary (2020), following the exploits of a murderous knight trailing Heavenly Peter, who escaped after Immortal John kicked his ass in a war. And now, Death of the Reprobate, a tale of Immortal John's last heir, who is tasked to perform seven good deeds if you want to inherit his throne.

So, you need to put away your daily tasks of justly judging people and don more humbly clothing, for you need to set foot among the rabble, the ordinary folk. Among the gullible folk, you must find the seven you must help. Luckily, god is on your side, pointing them with a handy sign with a red arrow. All you need to do is to find a way to help them or fool them into believing you've helped them. It's all the same, really, as after you've done so, you'll surely receive what you deserve.

Like the previous games in the series, Death of the Reprobate is not a long game. You can, depending on how much you prod the scenes for jokes, play it through in a couple of hours. But, just like the previous games, it's a terrific and solid couple of hours, as the game doesn't feel in any way rushed. It takes the time it needs without superfluous padding to make it unorganically longer. 

If there's a flaw in the game, it's that it is easier than the previous two games. As far as gameplay, story, puzzles and challenges go, Procession to Calvary might be my favourite in the series. It has the perfect balance. While Death of the Reprobate does have puzzles, it still seems to have a stronger focus on allowing the narrative to flow with more ease. Not that I found that to be an issue in the previous games. And while I didn't count them, it does seem like there are fewer actual puzzles in the game.

For anyone, who has played the previous games, Death of the Reprobate should offer more of the same. A well-made satirical moral play in the vein of Monty Python. It's one of those games I feel safe saying you'll like if you liked the previous games. If not, then it's definitely not a game for you.

As a final note, if you are looking for a brain teaser, that'll keep you puzzled for hours, Death of the Reprobate is not it. But if you want a well-made satire, that is silly, dumb, clever and rude, then this, and the other games in the series, are it. 

You can purchase Death of the Reprobate, and the other games in the series, from Steam.