This month you can travel to the Lands of Dream, a version of hell populated by ball people, or simply stay seated at a computer console. You could take on the role of a goat herder trying to prevent his charges from being sacrificed, a police inspector seeking a serial killer, or a famous adventurer on a quest for a new historical artifact. Alternatively, you might embark on a piratical quest for ultimate treasure, attempt to lift a family curse, or enjoy a well-known designer’s early work updated to run on modern machines. All these await you in this month’s (and some leftovers from last month’s) round-up of releases from the freeware scene.
Steve's Selections
A Postcard from Afthonia
In the Lands of Dream, the forces of Lord Urizen continue to wage war on the citizenry. Urizen’s ultimate goal is to sack the fabled city of Oneiropolis, but for now he is laying siege to the Fortunate Isles. The inhabitants of the largest island, The Isle of the Sun, resist the siege fiercely. But even as they fight for their freedom, they must plan for the future. One young couple, soon to have a child, would seek counsel from the Oracle. Alas, her remote island home lies beyond the besieging fleet. Unable to get to the Oracle themselves, the couple reach out with a postcard sent as a portal to the waking realm. The intended recipient is a hero that has thwarted Lord Urizen’s schemes in the past. Can this noble figure find a way to rescue the Oracle and bring hope to the people?
This game is a sequel to Jonas Kyratzes’ commercial release The Sea Will Claim Everything. The art style uses the same hand-drawn slideshow format of the previous game, with bright colours predominating. The style is reminiscent of a fairy-tale storybook, matching the tone of the adventure perfectly. Returning players will visit many of the same locations, such as the wharf and the restaurant where the goat Kostas continues his apparently endless meal. You will also meet old friends, such as the goat and the summoning couple you originally helped bring together. There are some changes, however. The depredations of Lord Urizen are having an effect, most notably the smoke from his invading fleet and tar washing up on the beaches. There are also new locations to explore, as you seek a new route to the Isle of the Oracle. The action is backed up by gentle folk music that fits in well with the setting.
As the events in this game follow on from the conclusion of its predecessor, it undoubtedly helps to have played that game first, especially as the characters treat the player as a returning hero. However, using the in-game explanation of time working differently in the Lands of Dream, players can claim that they have not visited before and get a summary of events. Control is single-click, with many of the small details in each location having their own humorous descriptions. A side panel contains arrows showing which will take the player to a neighbouring location, but this only covers the immediate locale, such as the streets of Afthonia. To travel larger distances, a magical map allows instant travel across the island. A lot of gameplay revolves around finding new locations for the map, usually gleaned from conversations with the varied denizens of the area. A magical scroll also keeps track of tasks you have accepted. You will also acquire a small amount of inventory which is used automatically when you click on an appropriate place or person. As in Kyratzes' previous games, the wealth of background detail in both scenery and conversation brings the setting to life.
A Postcard from Afthonia can be downloaded from the developer’s website. A special edition including audio commentary and other bonus content is also available for a small fee.
Mu Complex: Episode One
Having only just gained access to Mu Complex, you start with the simplest access to its computer systems. But this is an establishment that rewards a problem-solving mindset. Your aptitude test for advancing in the Complex’s hierarchy shows that you know how to circumvent the basic low-level systems. As you progress up through the levels of security, more is revealed about the projects that the complex has been working on. Just how long has the complex been in operation and what were they creating in that sealed lab? What sealed lab?
StudioCime have created an intriguing sci-fi story that promises to be the opening chapter of a much larger tale. Initially the game presents you with a logo for the complex and a simple command line interface. Almost all interaction with the game is done through this interface, with “help” providing a list of available commands. At the start these are single words, but soon you need to enter multiple word commands to progress. Whilst most text is white on black background, colour is used to good effect to achieve such things as distinguishing command terms from their descriptions. Later you will also access picture files, including photos and diagrams of the local computer network. Each level of the game is introduced with instructions read out in a gentle female computer voice. An ambient high sci-fi piece plays in the background.
Cracking the opening level is simplicity itself, but the puzzles get more complex as you get higher up. You will need to switch between computers and decipher codes and riddles within the game’s various files. You will also operate computer-controlled devices, with a camera feed providing hidden clues when the light and viewing filters are changed. There is one puzzle that will require the player to truly think outside the box. As well as providing the clues you need to progress, the various files you access give you background information about the complex itself. This allows you to slowly build up a picture of its purpose in a very natural fashion. Whilst the game comes to a satisfying conclusion, the final revelation should serve as a jumping-off point for further tales in this setting.
Mu Complex can be played online at Kongregate.
The Repossessor (2014)
After a hard day gathering souls, Death was looking forward to being able to relax for a bit. Unfortunately, The Powers That Be have other ideas with an urgent assignment for him. It appears that one Michael Gower, formerly deceased, has been returned to the realm of the living by black magic. This affront to the laws of mortality cannot be allowed to stand, and Death is despatched to return him to the afterlife. But Gower is technically alive again, albeit as a zombie, and flatly refuses to return. It looks like Death is going to have to get creative to get the job done.
Adventure game fans may be familiar with the developer of this game: none other than Wadjet Eye’s Dave Gilbert. The original version was created as part of shared setting Reality-on-the-Norm back in August 2001, representing Dave’s first foray into the world of adventure gaming. Whilst the essentials of the game are unchanged, it has now been updated to run on modern computers. The graphics are done in a pixel art style. The game takes place in central Reality, consisting of a local hostelry, Scid’s Bar and its nearby alley. Death appears as a thin figure in a full-length hooded robe and the zombie Gower is missing several parts. A jaunty tune plays through the main square, to be replaced by an instrumental version of “Don’t Fear the Reaper” in Scid’s and a disco anthem in the alley.
For Death to succeed in his mission, you need to find a way to separate Gower from his new body. Using the standard AGS four-action interface, you must navigate the town and deal with its denizens. A bit of exploration turns up a spell that should do the trick, but then it is a matter of getting the ingredients. Of course, this being an adventure game, that is no simple matter. To get what you need, you will have to negotiate with a hostile chicken and find a new disco ornament for the dancing-obsessed bum. As may be gathered, this is not a tale to be taken seriously, with a good sense of humour conveyed throughout. The game ends with a twist that originally resulted in both main characters becoming central to the recurring cast of many subsequent Reality games.
The Repossessor (2014) can be downloaded from the AGS website.
Pachinko Man
You have tried to lead a good life, working hard and avoiding most vices. But there is one addiction you have been unable to resist, the game of Pachinko. The thrill of watching those shiny metal balls bounce down through the pins, hoping they will hit a winning spot, is too much for you. When you heard of a fabled Pachinko machine that could make your wildest dreams come true, you could not resist its lure. Sadly, the forfeit for losing was as grandiose as the prize for winning. Now you have been turned into a living Pachinko ball and relegated to a cubicle in Ball Hell. Trapped in a strange shape in the most nightmarish office ever conceived, you resolve to achieve something no-one else has ever done: escape from Ball Hell.
This game from Punch the Moon has a darkly comic tone to it. The graphics feature a pixelated cartoon style, with drab colours accenting the depressing nature of the setting. You start in a cubicle adorned with depressing “motivational” art. You will also visit a conference room and a cave containing a giant three-headed dog. The protagonist is a ball with a human face and stubby arms and legs, and many of your fellow inmates are similarly designed balls, though from a variety of games. You will also meet the diverse staff of Hell, including flaming skeletons and a dragon manager. All are simply but effectively animated. The background music is a predominantly brass piece with slightly Oriental tones to match the protagonist’s characterisation as a Japanese office worker. There are also limited sound effects, most notably a descending tone played upon your death.
Game information
Postcard from Afthonia, A (2014)
GAME INFO
Postcard from Afthonia, A is an adventure game by Jonas Kyratzes released in 2014 for PC. It has a Stylized art style, presented in Slideshow and is played in a First-Person perspective.
