Centum
A point-and-click adventure with an unreliable narrator and adaptive AI.
Centum is a point-and-click adventure game from Hack The Publisher, an independent studio based in Tallinn, Estonia, and published by Serenity Forge. It launched on March 11, 2025, for Nintendo Switch, macOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows.
The game frames itself as a long-lost, never-released title, told by an unreliable narrator. It opens with a prisoner trying to escape a cell, and the story centers on an artificial intelligence that changes based on player decisions. There are five main endings. Gameplay involves clicking on objects, navigating shifting settings and art styles, working through evolving in-game computer interfaces, and choosing dialogue or actions from boxes.
Hack The Publisher previously released the tower defense game *Dwarven Skykeep* (2022) and the side-scrolling beat 'em up *Vengeance of Mr. Peppermint* (2023). Studio head Andrey Kiryushkin cited *The Stanley Parable*, *Doki Doki Literature Club*, and *I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream* as inspirations.
The game was announced on April 29, 2024, during IGN's ID@Xbox presentation, with a planned summer 2024 release. Previews appeared in May 2024, and Serenity Forge showed it at Gamescom and PAX West 2024. At the Indie Horror Showcase 2024, the release window moved to 2025. A February 2025 announcement set the March 11 release date and confirmed the additional platforms.
Centum received generally favorable reviews. On Metacritic, it holds a weighted score of 75 out of 100 from six critics. James Stephanie Sterling of *The Jimquisition* gave it 8.5/10, praising its disturbing imagery and critique of generative AI. Nick Rodriguez of *Game Rant* scored it 9/10, highlighting its branching story and timely themes. *Edge Magazine* called it a brilliantly crafted adventure that explores the relationship between author and audience. Giovanni Colantonio of *Digital Trends* had mixed feelings about its abstract storytelling but praised the atmosphere, calling it a "half-remembered nightmare."
Quick Facts
- Title
- Centum
- Developer
- Hack The Publisher
- Publisher
- Serenity Forge
- Platforms
- macOS / Nintendo Switch / PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 / Xbox One / Xbox Series X/S / Windows
- Released
- March 11, 2025
- Genre
- Point-and-click adventure, psychological horror, visual novel
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Centum was announced by Hack The Publisher on April 29, 2024, during IGN's ID@Xbox presentation, initially scheduled for a Summer 2024 release. Several outlets previewed the game in May 2024. Serenity Forge showcased Centum at Gamescom and PAX West 2024, and at the Indie Horror Showcase 2024 a new release window of 2025 was announced. A release date of March 11, 2025, was announced in February 2025 alongside ports for additional platforms. The game is available on Nintendo Switch, macOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows.
The game features shifting settings and art styles, along with various in-game computer interfaces that continually evolve. Gameplay consists of clicking on objects in the environment, navigating interfaces, and selecting dialogue and actions from boxes. The plot begins with a prisoner attempting to escape their cell. Hack The Publisher is an independent game developer based in Tallinn, Estonia, which previously released Dwarven Skykeep (2022) and Vengeance of Mr. Peppermint (2023). Studio head Andrey Kiryushkin named The Stanley Parable, Doki Doki Literature Club, and I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream among the game's inspirations.
Reader's Guide
Centum is significant as a point-and-click adventure that explores the relationship between author and audience through an adaptive artificial intelligence and an unreliable narrator. Its shifting art styles and evolving computer interfaces create a distinctive, disorienting experience. Critics highlighted its branching storyline and timely themes, with James Stephanie Sterling of The Jimquisition praising its disturbing imagery and insightful critique of generative AI, while Nick Rodriguez of Game Rant commended the branching narrative. Edge Magazine described it as a brilliantly crafted adventure that rewards players with a deep exploration of author-audience dynamics. Giovanni Colantonio of Digital Trends had mixed feelings about the abstract storytelling but noted the game's lasting impact, calling it a half-remembered nightmare. The game's presentation as a long-lost unreleased title adds a layer of metafictional intrigue, and its five main endings encourage multiple playthroughs. Centum stands as a notable example of narrative experimentation in the adventure genre during the 2020s.
Did You Know?
- Centum was announced during IGN's ID@Xbox presentation on April 29, 2024.
- The game features five main endings.
- Hack The Publisher is based in Tallinn, Estonia.
More in Adventure Games of the 2020s, Part 1 1-24
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