PROXIMATE

v0.1 // SHORT DEMO

v0.1 Demo contains only the first two rooms (Submarine and Lobby).

the optimist says it’s half human

the pessimist says it’s half monster

and the project manager says, “when can we ship it?”

PROXIMATE is a dread-driven narrative game inspired by Iron Lung and ANATOMY. Investigate a deep sea laboratory and piece together the events that lead to the research team’s demise.

Due to the security concerns of your mission, you will be required to wear a sonar-based visor that only tells you the bare minimum information you need to succeed — and sometimes less. Use proximity data and context cues to form your own interpretation of what you’re seeing.

// The Story

After labor rights movements sweep large parts of India and Southeast Asia, companies around the world lose their supply of cheap exploitable workers. Melbourne-based tech company Neuras decides to attempt the impossible: installing AI drives into the freshly dead to create a cheap and endless supply of workers.

After a year of disappointing results, the Neuras lab suddenly cuts all contact with their investors. You, a contractor for the country's largest investment firm, have been tasked with investigating the lab and recovering the firm's rightful IP. But it's the firm's other investment project -- a sonar-based image recognition visor -- that might end up being your bigger problem.

That, and the footsteps you keep hearing behind the door.

// Gameplay

PROXIMATE is a 2D game with 1D visuals. Use textual information and proximity data to form a mental map of your surroundings and pray that your technology won't fail you when you need it most.

Thank you Luke Austin for the incredible voice acting, and Daniel Linssen for the m5x7 font <3

If you'd like to support development, please consider subscribing to my Patreon!