Virtue and a Sledgehammer Review – A Story That Makes You Question Your Humanity

Virtue and a Sledgehammer is a story-driven adventure about two sisters, their complicated relationship, and a world where technology promises to end human suffering forever. What starts as a mission to stop your sister quickly becomes a much more personal journey, filled with painful memories, difficult choices, and questions about what it really means to be human.

A Complicated Story About Two Sisters

The story follows Pratelle, who sets out to stop her sister Nina and the world she's trying to create. Nina believes that replacing humans with robots through digitization is the best way to save humanity. People can live forever, keep their memories, and escape the problems that come with being human, including illness, financial struggles, and death.

Her intentions weren't always so dark, though. It all started when their mother was dying, and Nina wanted to find a way to save her. However, that desire eventually turned into something much bigger, with consequences that neither sister can easily ignore.

What I enjoyed most about the story is the relationship between the two sisters. It's complicated, toxic, and filled with painful experiences, but there are also some genuinely beautiful memories between them. As you progress, you learn more about their childhood, their mother, and the events that shaped their relationship.

These moments make you understand why they became the people they are today, even when you don't agree with their choices. I also liked how the game slowly reveals their past, keeping you interested in learning more about their lives and what happened between them.

Are These Robots Really Human?

This is where Virtue and a Sledgehammer gets really interesting. As you make your way towards Nina, you encounter robots that were once human. Some are hostile, but others are simply living their lives, talking to you, sharing their memories, and even begging you not to destroy them.

And honestly, some of these encounters made me feel bad for them.

You know they're machines. You can tell yourself that their emotions are programmed, that they're simply repeating what they've been designed to say, and that they can't truly feel anything. But when a robot starts talking about its life, expressing its fears, or begging for another chance, it's difficult not to feel something.

This is one of the game's strongest points. It makes you question whether these robots deserve to live, even when you believe they're not real humans. If they can remember their past, recognize the people they love, and express fear when facing death, does it really matter whether those emotions are genuine?

At the same time, you can't ignore the fact that they're programmed machines. Are they actually experiencing these emotions, or are they simply doing what their programming tells them to do? And if their personalities cannot grow beyond what was preserved during digitization, can they really be considered the same people they once were?

I found myself questioning my own decisions throughout the game. There were moments when I genuinely felt sorry for the robots, even though I kept reminding myself that they weren't human anymore. The game does a great job of making you uncomfortable with your own reasoning without giving you an easy answer.

Destroying Your Way Through the Past

The gameplay is fairly simple. You explore your hometown, use your sledgehammer to destroy buildings and obstacles, fight hostile robots, and uncover memories that reveal more about your family's past.

Destroying the environment is satisfying, especially when you can smash through obstacles and open new paths. It also fits the story well, as you're literally tearing apart the place where you grew up while uncovering memories you'd rather leave behind.

However, the gameplay doesn't offer much variety. You spend most of your time exploring and smashing things, and while the destruction is enjoyable at first, it can become repetitive as you progress. The combat is also quite basic, so I wouldn't recommend playing this for its action alone.

For me, the main reason to keep going was the story. I wanted to discover more about the sisters, understand Nina's intentions, and see how everything would eventually unfold. The gameplay does its job, but I wish there had been more to it.

Beautiful Memories and Dark Moments

One thing I appreciated is how the game balances its darker moments with memories that remind you of the happier times the sisters shared. Their relationship isn't defined entirely by anger and resentment, which makes everything that happens between them more meaningful.

The story also explores some difficult themes, including grief, family trauma, and the desire to escape pain. Nina wants to create a world where people no longer have to suffer, but the more you learn about her plans, the more you start questioning whether a life without pain is really the same as being alive.

I liked how the game uses its story to explore these ideas rather than simply presenting a clear answer. It makes you think about whether suffering is an unavoidable part of life, whether our memories are enough to preserve who we are, and whether living forever is worth sacrificing something fundamental about being human.

The visual style also suits the experience, with its unsettling atmosphere and distinctive character designs. Combined with the emotional story, it creates some memorable moments that can be both beautiful and uncomfortable.

A Short but Memorable Experience

I finished Virtue and a Sledgehammer in around 4.5 hours and unlocked all the achievements. It's a short game, but I don't think that necessarily works against it. The story has a clear focus, and it doesn't need dozens of hours to explore its main themes.

That said, I would have liked more gameplay variety. The story kept me invested, but the repetitive mechanics occasionally made the experience feel less engaging than it could have been.

Overall, I enjoyed what the game was trying to do. Its strongest moments come from the characters, their memories, and the difficult questions it raises about humanity and technology. It's the kind of game that makes you stop and think about your choices, even when you believe you're doing the right thing.

Final Verdict

Virtue and a Sledgehammer delivers an emotional story about two sisters whose opposing beliefs lead them down very different paths. Its exploration of family, grief, immortality, and artificial humanity kept me invested, especially when the robots made me question whether I was doing the right thing.

The gameplay can become repetitive, and I would have liked more variety, but the story makes the experience worthwhile. It's a short adventure with some beautiful and dark moments that leave you thinking about its message even after finishing it.

If you enjoy story-driven games that explore difficult themes and make you question your own choices, Virtue and a Sledgehammer is worth checking out.

A big thank you to Devolver Digital for sending me a review key and giving me the opportunity to experience Virtue and a Sledgehammer ahead of release.

Game score: 7.5/10

Reviewed by: Ruba Jaiousy

Reviewed On: PC