Folding into the broader narrative of Cosmo D’s interconnected Off-Peak City games (so far consisting of 2015’s Off-Peak, 2017’s The Norwood Suite, and its 2020 follow-up Tales from Off-Peak City Vol. 1), Betrayal At Club Low sees players going undercover to attempt a rescue mission of sorts by infiltrating a “deceptively dangerous” nightclub/former coffin factory/“haven for wild-limbed dancing, mind-altering music and shady characters”. While previous games in the series were largely focussed on relaxed roaming and light puzzling as players soaked up their deliciously off-kilter sensibilities, Betrayal at Club Low does things a little differently, drawing inspiration from “short, punchy, independent zine RPGs” in order to evoke the feel of a one-off tabletop session. Driving the narrative is some classic, tabletop-RPG-inspired dice chucking, with each upgradable die representing one of seven different player skills - Athletics, Cooking, Deception, Music, Observation, Wisdom, and Wit. And there’s another die for Pizza. Betrayal at Club Low is said to be completable in an evening, but 11 different endings - determined by the choices made along the way - should provide some incentive to return for repeat play-throughs - and further replay is encouraged through additional challenges, mutators, and modes. Betrayal At Club Low will be available for PC via Steam and itch.io on 9th September.
