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Event[0] Game preview

Game preview 02 September 2015, 14:21

author: Mathias Zulpo

Event[0] hands-on – will you survive alone in space fighting against clever Artificial Intelligence?

We took a quick glance on Event[0] – an intriguing interactive adventure set on a spaceship controlled by a seemingly harmless AI. If you’re a fan of sci-fi and clever narrative, we’ve got something interesting for you.

This article was written prior to the game's release.

This text was based on the PC version.

I assume few of you have heard of Event[0], a game from a small French developer. The setting is as follows: The protagonist, stranded in space after his ship has been hijacked by its AI, has to communicate with an AI of a derelict cruise yacht via console command input. The tremendous potential lying dormant this kind of climatic narrative – clearly inspired by titles like System Shock or 2001: A Space Odyssey – definitely needs a bigger recognition. We’ve tested Event[0] and now we’d like to show you, why this game from beyond the boundaries of known (cyber)space deserves your attention.

Something went wrong

Alone, aboard a space ship, drifting through the vast outer space, my only choice is to move forward. I calibrate my suit as I stride through the glass corridor; check the oxygen levels and the fuel left in propulsor tanks – my only means of locomotion in the void. What’s going on here? The only thing I knew from this slow journey was a sense of entrapment, as if I was being badgered by something. The solitude of the void I encountered in Event[0] doesn’t try to terrify you directly (although it may cause goose bumps), nor does it force you to reflect on something - for the first several minutes, it simply IS.

The playable section of the game slowly builds a mood of intriguing mysteriousness; the way it takes advantage of the silence – it waits. Waits for me to gather my thoughts and prepare the unanswered questions I had in my head after reading the game’s prologue on the developer’s website, before entering the game’s first, austere location – the airlock. I know some facts – apparently the ship Europa-11, with a person named Josh among its crew, suffered a critical life support system failure after the on-board AI took control of the ship’s systems. A terrifying scenario, resembling the basic premises of System Shock, that raised in my head a number of concerns that required immediate verification. I believe we’ve all heard the proverb “Curiosity killed the cat” (and dying in the void anything but pleasant) but it’s the curiosity that drives the plot of Event[0] forward. If the creators make good use of the player’s curiosity, it may lead to a very engaging story.

By the gateway I encounter the first terminal – a petty stand-in for a human being. To my surprise, I notice very quickly that the terminal is able to hold a relevant conversation, based not on picked dialogue options but my own keyboard input shown on the screen. And he’s quite the smart guy – you shouldn’t expect philosophical disputes from The Talos Princple, but it will answer questions and obey your commands. “Where am I? Near the last know location of Europa-11. What ship is this? Nautilus. Who am I? You’re the only human on board. Why should I trust you? I could open for you the door on the right.

Implementing a full-fledged AI in a low-budget indie game is an impressive feat, and it works quite well given the game’s current development stage. Although the they tend to give evasive or plot-aimed answers to overly complicated queries (that’s how I heard of a person called Anele, that is currently somewhere on board of the Nautilus; in truth, I just wanted to ask, if the terminal has ever tasted the food they give the astronauts) the terminals are quite proficient at guessing the meaning of short messages by analyzing the keywords. “Damn, I made a mistake when I typed the user login, can we change it? Enter new user login. Hi, I’m here to tamper with those strange cables. Maintenance sequence initiated, control over the cables relinquished to third-party operator.” The creators are well aware of the potential the employment of an AI has to offer to the game – although, for the time being, the things our “silicone friends” can do are limited to opening the door; during the test I’ve also used the terminals to play three easy, arcade minigames – it appears the developers would be willing to implement further elements to enhance the gameplay as well.

Something’s not right

This Nautilus could use some repairs. Fast. That’s the gist of the message I hear from the terminal located in the hall. It’s not very talkative but wastes no opportunity to remind me of the ship’s critical condition and urges to hurry up with the repair procedures; otherwise, there’s no way I can reach Anele. The terminal I got to “know” in the lobby, several moments earlier, had a vastly different attitude – I was asked three times, if I’m sure of what I’m trying to do, before it finally opened the door leading to the hall. The terminal by the airlock informed me, that it won’t let me leave the Nautilus because I have become it’s best friend and my absence for more than 10 seconds would make it very sad.

Event[0] makes clever use of it’s relatively simple gameplay premise to engage the player. The terminals’ characterization and tenacity (the Space Odyssey’s HAL 9000 would be proud) can irritate and provoke a reaction from the player while their laconic answers will force you to think. When I was drifting outside the Nautilus, I encountered a “smart-ass” who kept taunting me over the fact that the oxygen supply in my suit is limited and I will suffocate when it runs out. I had to try to persuade it, with my own, carefully picked words to let me back on board – no hints, no one to hold my hand, just me and it. The conversation we had strayed in peculiar directions at times and you could honestly think I was talking to a genuine, selfish, nosey little jerk overjoyed by my hopeless situation, and not a piece of inanimate junk. As if being stranded on a derelict space ship wasn’t bad enough. The idea, featured in Event[0], to “personalize” the terminals will hopefully receive chance to spread its wings in the future, especially given the fact that interacting with machines that possess personalities and intelligence (which means they can lie to you or give false leads) makes for a brilliant and vibrant narrative device.

The Nautilus is not the biggest ship in I’ve seen, and so are its interiors – small areas with a simple layout, separated with doors controlled by the terminals. Few lights, few ornaments, not much room, not much order. Even the infinite void surrounding the ship is small. I’ve noticed the deficiencies of Event[0]’s designs very quickly; what was their intention hit me equally fast – every element you see and hear around you (mostly humming and buzzing with some occasional clangs) emphasizes the subtle ambience of the setting and completes the atmosphere of this solitary journey, creating a striking contrast with the overwhelming sense of isolation it possesses.

Sometimes, during my tour, I had the impression that, with some motivation, the Unity Engine could do more than it did (especially when it came to the ship’s exteriors), resulting in a better overall appearances of the level, but I’m willing to let this one slide – there’s enough time for improvements in that matter, let’s not forget that the game’s an early Alpha from last year. Event[0] is, and will be, all about the dense atmosphere. The mystery – visible as broken terminals, notes scattered throughout the ship, and disturbing symbols painted on the walls – is combined with vision of a catastrophic downfall with no way to escape, and the “sterile filthiness” of the setting (reminding me of some levels from the second Portal) prepares you for a visit in a place, once ruled by order and regulations, and now left to its own antics. This well-orchestrated sensation led me all the way through this test and straight to the end credits, but it all ended way too fast. I’ve left the Nautilus with a feeling of insufficiency – I haven’t managed to locate Anele – and the urge to play the complete adventure of the nameless astronaut, lost in time and space.

It’s something

Event[0] is one of those small events that can turn into something really big; it would be a shame to see this potential wasted because the game’s good parts remained underdeveloped. For now, this solitary space odyssey is unsure of its own identity; will it aim for an environment survival experience or a semi-passive narrative, we’ll find out after it’s released. This will be no revolution, but, without a doubt, the game has a chance to bring a breath of fresh air into this specific segment of indie gaming – the short fragment I’ve tested had the pulling power of a black hole and those who conquer their initial prejudices against it may experience something truly unique in the future.

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