New AR game Unforgivable: Eliza offers storyline-based gameplay, free on iOS and Android

Developed by Toii, a new AR game has been released on Android and iOS. Titled Unforgivable: Eliza, the new app will use the player’s geolocation and comes with a pedometer for tracking steps. Unlike Pokémon Go, however, Unforgivable attempts to craft an engaging story mode, with missions being based around exploring real-world locations. 

Players are cast as a 27-year-old NYPD detective named Danny, whose family is associated with activism in Taiwan. Danny’s grandfather was murdered by the KMT regime, and after a press conference sharing his motive for becoming a detective, Danny receives a phone call from a woman who claims to be the daughter of a witness to his grandfather’s death. 

As the story is set primarily in two continents, it is going to be difficult to imagine most players being able to experience the game’s actual locations as intended. However, if players are indeed unable to visit the cities involved, they can use purchasable ‘Tickets’ in-game, bought either with real money or given as a reward for racking up steps using the game’s pedometer. 

The game will be free-to-play, and is available on both major app platforms. It is interesting to see a new player in the AR space, but given the restricted niche of the title itself it is going to be tough for the game to carve out its own identity. The game does offer 10 cities for the action to play out in, but it will undoubtedly impact on player immersion for those not able to access the areas needed to play the game. The use of a pedometer as a way of unlocking story rewards is certainly interesting, as is the attempt to mix in a deeper storyline into mobile AR apps. Given that the story is written by Ed Lin, an award winning Asian-American author, it is probable that the narrative will be deep and intriguing. 

Unforgiveable: Eliza is available on Google Play and on the iOS App Store as of today as a free title. While undoubtedly the title is limited in scope, it is interesting to see deeper story-based experiences being released as AR titles and with them the increased integration of real-world mechanics into games. It is going to be interesting to see how AR gaming continues to progress in the coming years as more games start to offer their own takes on such experiences.