Subsurface Circular
| Subsurface Circular | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Mike Bithell Games |
| Publisher(s) | Mike Bithell Games |
| Platform(s) | Windows |
| Release | 17 August 2017 |
| Genre(s) | Text adventure |
Subsurface Circular is a text-based adventure game developed and published by Mike Bithell Games. The game was released for Windows-based personal computers on 17 August 2017.
Gameplay
Subsurface Circular is a loose take on text-based adventure game, with the game is presented in a three-dimension, third-person perspective.[1] The player controls a robot detective in a futuristic setting, tasked to solve cases aboard a subway system below a human city that ferries around other robots that serve as the workforce. In the game, the robot detective must solve a case of a number of robots that have gone missing, by talking to other robots while they are on the subway cars, following various conversation trees, and at times, solving puzzles to help out a robot and get more information. The player acquires "focal points" on achieving certain goals, which then can be used to question other robots to get more information to solve the mystery.[2]
Development and release
Subsurface Circular was developed by British video game designer and developer Mike Bithell. Bithell was inspired by old text adventure games such as those he programmed as a youth on the BBC Micro, and decided to try creating a modern take on the genre with a short and focused narrative.[2] He also wanted to explore the ideas of how robots will eventually replace humans as the primary workforce in the future, and how ethical and political issues around a sentient robotic workforce would be seen, comparing the situation to historical and modern-day insurgencies.[2]
The game was announced and released for Windows-based personal computers on 17 August 2017.[2][3] Bithell considers this as a first of his "Bithell Shorts", games that are short and inexpensive that allow him to experiment with narrative approaches, while he continued to work on his next major release.[2] As he knew the game was short, he did not want to create great expectations for players, and opted to announce and release the game on the same day.[4]
Reception
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| GamesRadar+ |   [5] |
| Polygon | 9/10[3] |
| VideoGamer.com | 8/10[6] |
Subsurface Circular was well received by professional critics.[3][5][6] Praise was directed towards the game's engaging storytelling and writing.[3][5][6]
Polygon reviewer Colin Campbell welcomed Bithell's idea of creating a series of short, experimental and narrative-driven games. Campbell complimented Subsurface Circular's "rich narrative landscape" presented through its dialogue and characters.[3]
References
- ^ Dale, Laura Kate (17 August 2017). "Subsurface Circular Tackles Job Automation, Authority, and Human Needs". Kotaku UK. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Yin-Poole, Wesley (17 August 2017). "Thomas Was Alone dev's new game is a modern take on the text adventure". Eurogamer. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Campbell, Colin (17 August 2017). "Subsurface Circular review". Polygon. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
- ^ Devore, Jordan (17 August 2017). "Thomas Was Alone creator's new game is about a robot detective". Destructoid. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
- ^ a b c Loveridge, Sam (17 August 2017). "Subsurface Circular review: "A robot mass murder mystery"". GamesRadar. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
- ^ a b c Ahern, Colm (17 August 2017). "Subsurface Circular review". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved 17 August 2017.