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Evoking the spirit of 1992’s infamous “Night Trap”, “Press X To Not Die” is an interactive movie game where you press ‘X’ to not die, among other keys. In an industry where many gamers are concerned over cutscenes interrupting gameplay, All Seeing Eye Games have created a game where the majority of gameplay is done through cutscenes. Graphically, the game looks incredibly realistic! This is because it is all real-life footage. The question is: Is “Press X To Not Die” good, or should interactive movies stay in the past?

“Press X to Not Die” is what would happen if you got the chance to become a part of a ridiculous live-action b-movie adventure.

Placing a heavy emphasis on story, “Press X To Not Die” lives and dies on its satirical plot and the choices given to the player. Once the main character’s best friend is killed, his death is blamed on him being on Twilight’s Team Jacob instead of Team Edward. Christina, the main character’s girlfriend who needs to be rescued, warned him about being on Team Jacob, but he just didn’t listen…After that humorous debate, the main character can decide whether or not to help a waylaid cyclist, steal his bike or leave him for dead.

Gameplay and dialogue choices alternate between serious and comical, frantic and casual, ignorant and self-aware. When discovering the cause of the outbreak, the main character has this to say: “Wait, Christina’s a gamer?!” to which she says, “Angry Birds!”.

press x to not die the crazy nunchuck guy

There are quite a few unfriendly characters to be found in “Press X to Not Die” (such as the angry nunchuck guy in this picture, for example).

So at the price of £1.99, “Press X To Not Die” is certainly affordable and its value for money is increased due to the replayability it offers. While there are no diverging paths, the linear narrative has many options that result in minor changes. Short, satisfying, and in need of a sequel is how I’d describe “Press X To Not Die”.

With four levels of difficulty, “Press X To Not Die” features twenty-nine deaths – most of which you will see if you struggle to match the button prompts on time. It would be unfair to label “Press X To Not Die” as misleading, considering how you have to press other buttons than ‘X’, but technically you do have to Press X To Not Die – and RB, and Q, and so on. An onscreen time limit or reducing bar would be clearer in how much time there is to press the button, as well as adding on more pressure.

There are over 29 unique ways to die and 35 minutes of HD footage to be found in “Press X to Not Die”.

So, all in all, “Press X To Not Die” is a rather good live-action B-movie adventure game that is accessible to everyone (the game’s deliberately campy and decidedly unserious parts might not be everyone’s cup of tea though) . I would also like to point out that the end credits promise a sequel, “Press X To Not Die 2: Dream Warriors”. So I hope that I (and others) will get a chance to get a co-operative experience in the sequel, because there is no such feature to be found in “Press X Not To Die”.

As for here and now though, “Press X Not To Die” is worthy of your time and money if you enjoy B-movies and games such as “Night Trap”.

Pros:
+ Funny writing
+ Good value for money
+ Oddly compelling plot

Cons:
– Ends too soon
– Ambiguously poor acting
– Shaky camera work

Gameplay: 3/5
Graphics: 3/5
Sound and music: 2/5
Controls: 2/5
Replay value: 3/5

tgg grade 3 out of 5

Verdict: 3/5
Press X To Not Die is a refreshingly casual and comedic dive into the interactive movie genre, which has recently been dominated by serious stories as seen in Telltale’s The Walking Dead and Game Of Thrones. So this B-Movie gets an A+ from me. However, as a game (and due to the cons that I have listed). I would have to give “Press X To Not Die” a C+.

Title: Press X To Not Die
Developer: All Seeing Eye Games
Format: PC
Genre: Interactive Movie
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Release date: 2017-10-09
Difficulty: Medium
Spent time: +2 hours
Steam Rating: Very Positive
Price: £1.99 via Steam