Early Prototype

Playable Character

(Video above is a basic trailer for the current prototype version of the game. This trailer is not public, but is used for reference.)

Whenever a city is mired in the fog of lies and impending misfortune, The Detective, the cosmic embodiment of Truth, appears. As objectivity incarnate, The Detective does not have the capability of discerning between human faces and voices. In turn, The Detective has the power to exist beyond the absolute truth that is the flow of time, with the ability to stop, fast forward, and rewind time for any particular person.

Narrative

(Video above is that of the primary track of the game, a dynamic audio track that adds layers as the player experiences more and more of the game.)

Under the watchful eye of an expansive eternal night sky and the gentle embrace of perpetual rain, a quiet city stands in serenity, yet afflicted with looming tragedy brought on by four young street musicians. The Detective is tasked with uncovering the truth of their fates, in order to reset the timeline and prevent any of those events from ever happening.

Mechanics

(Video above is early documentation of the alternative controller in action)

Upon the presence of The Detective, a city becomes scattered in time across several timeframes that converge onto one truth. As you explore this city's streets, you will see several characters  that you can inspect. Upon inspecting characters, you have the option to take them outside the flow of time which stops time, and gives you the ability to view their prior actions and the future actions they are going to take in isolation. You must connect all of these individual pasts and futures, in order to piece together this case.

Showcase/Exhibition Features

(Video above is footage of the game in an exhibition showcase, with the alt controller, and the supplementary physical components all present)

This game has a special showcase variant, featuring several additional set pieces to accentuate the experience of play. The manipulation of time will be carried out using an alternative controller taking the shape of a Pocket Watch, built with an Arduino and alternative buttons. The exhibition version of the game will also feature a 2nd interactable touch screen that will be used to showcase the world map, a laminated map of the city, physical components to annotate that map with, and several aesthetic set-pieces to supplement the experience.

Full Video Playthrough

IMPORTANT NOTE

The build below is  meant for an alternative controller, which is reflected in the glyphs. If you would like to play them on the keyboard the controls are as follows: 

Move: Hold Left Mouse Button, Move Mouse

Stop Time: Press S

Rewind Time: Hold A

Fast-Forward Time: Hold D

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Credits

David Gadelkarim - Designer, Developer

Yusei Hara - Music Composer

Tom Alchin - SFX Designer