Deponia (video game)

Lore & Background

The game's story takes place on Deponia, a world originally inhabited by a large human population until the majority ascended to a utopia-styled floating city called Elysium. Over time, the Elysians forgot their origins, assuming Deponia to be uninhabitable, while the remaining humans made settlements amongst the trash dumped from above. Clean water is the most valuable commodity. The player controls Rufus, who constructs a makeshift rocket to reach Elysium, but after a mishap he lands on an Organon cruiser and witnesses the pursuit of a young Elysian woman named Goal. He becomes involved in helping her return home while uncovering a plot by the Organon and Goal's fiancé Cletus to destroy Deponia.

Reader's Guide

Deponia received 'mixed or average' reviews according to Metacritic. Some critics, such as Strategy Informer (now gamewatcher.com), criticized the game, stating 'The plot moves glacially, and seems to be held up by puzzles that fail to complement it.' Destructoid agreed, saying 'The game prolongs dialogue with bad joke after bad joke, at times.' However, the majority of critics and gamers liked the game overall, with praise for its absurd story, comic style, and strong speakers. Kotaku gave a positive review, calling it 'sharp, pretty and quirky-as-hell.' The game and its sequel totaled 200,000 global sales by April 2013. By September of the following year, the first game alone had become Daedalic's highest-selling title with 500,000 units worldwide, though it was not the company's most profitable product (that distinction went to The Dark Eye: Blackguards). The series overall achieved sales of 2.2 million copies by 2016, most from deep-discount sales.

Did You Know?

• The game includes a humorous option that changes all descriptions and dialog to only the word 'Droggeljug'.
• Clean water is considered the most valuable commodity on Deponia.
• Goal's memory is stored in a cartridge-based brain implant that is damaged in a fall.
• The series achieved 2.2 million sales by 2016, mostly from deep-discount sales.