Ever wanted to be an astronaunt when you were a little kid? Ever look up in the night’s sky, Orion’s belt twinkling down at you in mischief, and wonder what it felt like to be up there amongst the stars? Random Seed Games–a small indie development company–has your ticket with Lacuna Passage, if you’re brave enough to take it.
“…Inspired originally by the successful landing of the Curiosity rover on Mars in August 2012.”
Likewise, Lacuna Passage was also influenced by titles like “Dear Esther”, “2001: A Space Odyssey”, and “Pokemon Snap”.
When Science and games blend together…
You absolutely get Lacuna Passage. In the game, you step into the shoes of Jessica Rainer, and you have the privilege of being on the first manned mission to Mars.
Except something went terribly wrong. The Hermes crew, your coworkers, are gone. No other soul is near you; no sound permeates the air to let you know of other life, save for your own breathing.
And you know why you don’t hear anything? It’s not just because your crew is missing. It’s because in real life, the air is so thin on Mars there isn’t enough oxygen to hear sounds–much like space itself.
That’s not the only similarities, either. Lacuna Passages makes a giant leap for science in many aspects of their little Red Planet. This includes:
- Terrain generated from actual Mars satellite data.
- Survival mechanics based on real metrics like blood glucose, heart rate, caloric intake, and more.
- An immersive HUD that is accurate to potential future space exploration physical display technologies.
That’s what makes Lacuna Passage look so ridiculously awesome.
You have 25 miles of life-like exploration to discover why you are where you are, and where the hell everyone else is. It’s a fight for survival, for crew, and for the truth. The little would be astronaut kid in me just wants to grin–despite the desolate environment and unnerving mystery that will await me when I zip up Jessica’s suit.
What’s more, the soundtrack is a science in and of itself.
It’s beautiful, haunting, and the perfect backdrop as you make your way from clue to clue on the planet’s rocky surface. It also boasts a dynamic response to your actions while you play.
Clearly, Random Seed Games’s passion for science and gaming has been blended equally and successfully in Lacuna Passage, and if you’d like to take your own step into this world you have until July 31st to help it reach its funding goal. You can find the game on Steam Greenlight and their Kickstarter. They are asking for $40,000, and have managed to raise a total of $31,649 as this article is being written.
