Nyamakop, an African-based game studio, has recently launched “Relooted,” a video game that revolves around the mission of reclaiming African artifacts from museums and private collections to return them to their original owners. While the game may seem purely fictional at first glance, it is important to note that all the artifacts featured in the game are authentic.
The narrative of “Relooted” follows Nomali, a young woman with a background in athletics, parkour, and free running, who returns to Johannesburg from Tanzania to visit her family in a future setting. Motivated by the actions of Western museums that have hidden African collections, Nomali’s grandmother enlists her and a small team to infiltrate museums and private collectors’ residences to retrieve significant artifacts and bring them back to Africa.
It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of African artifacts are currently held outside the continent, with the majority located in Western institutions. Many of these artifacts were looted by Western colonialists and have either ended up in museums or remain in circulation on the black market.
In one of the early missions in the game, players are tasked with recovering two of the Benin Bronzes, part of a collection belonging to the Kingdom of Benin in modern-day Nigeria. While some of these artifacts have been repatriated to Nigeria from Germany and Scotland, others are still held in British museums.
Nyamakop’s previous game, “Semblance,” did not explicitly reflect the studio’s African heritage. However, inspired by the success of the Marvel movie “Black Panther,” which also touched on the theme of reclaiming African artifacts, the studio decided to create a game grounded in reality but with a vibrant and animated style to avoid the “Wakandification” of African narratives.
“Relooted” offers players a unique gameplay experience where they must plan heists to liberate artifacts while avoiding confrontations with security drones. As players progress, they can recruit team members with specialized abilities to assist in more complex missions.
The game focuses on stealth and strategy rather than combat, distinguishing it from traditional heist games and providing a fresh perspective for players. With engaging voice acting and a visually appealing art style, “Relooted” offers a memorable gaming experience that sheds light on African history and culture.
“Relooted” is set to release on Feb. 10 for PC and Xbox platforms, including Xbox Game Pass, offering players an opportunity to delve into the rich narratives and adventures created by an African game development team.