A downloadable game for Windows, macOS, and Linux

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Steve Johanson has disappeared and his girlfriend Sally Franklin has hired your detective agency to locate him. Even before you get on the scene there are signs that maybe this isn't just a simple missing persons case. Can you crack it? Explore Anteform Valley and its settlements, talk to its residents, search desks and files, and build up your skills as you collect clues to figure out what really happened to Steve and maybe even prevent it from happening again.

Anteform PICO-8 Eye

Anteform is a horror / sci-fi detective story RPG in the style of the older Ultima games (Ultima I, Ultima II, Ultima III, Ultima IV, & Ultima V) as played on the Commodore 64 and 128 computers (although thematically it fits in better with the Worlds of Ultima games). Just like the original Ultima games, it includes a world view, enterable towns, and 3D dungeon displays. More importantly, it is a fully playable (and winnable) game with its own backstory, plot, setting, and characters. It was written for PICO-8 using the Minima Engine and can be run on Linux, Mac, MS-Windows, and Raspberry Pi. It can also be played through the Web at: https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=35093

If you like Anteform you may also enjoy Minima.

I'm happy to answer any questions about Anteform, but as it is a mystery RPG please be mindful and don't ruin the fun for others by posting spoilers or even any hints about what the story is actually about.

StatusReleased
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux
Rating
Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars
(4 total ratings)
AuthorFeneric
GenreRole Playing, Adventure
Made withPICO-8
TagsDetective, Horror, Mystery, PICO-8, Pixel Art, Retro, Singleplayer
Average sessionA few hours
LanguagesEnglish
InputsKeyboard
LinksSource code, Community

Download

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Click download now to get access to the following files:

anteform-anteform-linux.zip 20 MB
Version 1.0.0
anteform-anteform-osx.zip 23 MB
Version 1.0.0
anteform-anteform-ms-win.zip 20 MB
Version 1.0.0
anteform-anteform-raspi.zip 20 MB
Version 1.0.0

Development log

Comments

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This is also cool! The only problem I have with it is that the game doesn't really respond to "narrative progress". I mean, I find things out, but since nothing reacts, I am left a bit adrift. Is the win-state just about beating a dungeon?

I have one question about the controls - I have found a dude who told me I could borrow his vest. How do I actually accept, however? Or is his vest somewhere else? Same for the shotgun; I believe I have found the correct place, but I don't see the weapon or anything.

Anyway, I am enjoying this. Cheers! :)

Ahh, I see, now. The "search" function with double "examine", from your lexaloffle post. 

Yep, that's it. It's a little bit useful in Minima but essential in Anteform. Anteform is a bit of a detective story, so a big part of the experience is searching things like desks and cabinets to get clues as to what happened and what's going on.

Some things do respond to narrative progress, but I was pretty tightly constrained by available resources. I won't get into to what does / doesn't because of spoilers.

Once you figure it all out it'll be obvious what needs to be done to beat it. Based on past players' experiences it's possible to figure out what happened to the missing Steve (and others) and prevent still more people from suffering the same fate.

I love it!!! :D

Good to hear, thanks for letting me know!