We’ve seen enough dystopic imaginings of the future here at SFL to know that whenever you combine dominating, sinister mega-corporations that are trying to rule the world with creepy, secret military research facilities, deathly disasters inevitably follow.
It must be frightening to be that person; the sole survivor of a horrific incident, awakening to the horror that all his colleagues and friends are all dead, or as is the case in Teleglitch: Die More Edition, discovering that fellow research personnel have all become repurposed necrotic combat units, micro-chipped and reactivated by the facility’s central processing rogue AI. It is frightening when no other choice remains but to pick a way through the overrun research lab on a small lonely planet that’s teetering on the cold, dark edge of habitable space…
Surviving is extra tricky in this hard retro pixel world as not only is the AI particularly challenging but procedurally generated maps mean the dark corridors of the facility change its structure with each play through and the constant threat of permanent death lurks on every level. There’s no quitting or saving progress, just one shot at freedom under incredible pressure which makes each attempt at survival all the more tense. With each new room potentially housing the joy of medi-packs or the horror of screaming hoards of enemies, creating robust and powerful weapons are the key to survival, yet even these must be cobbled together from random found equipment (like the can gun that combines an empty can with nails and explosives). Whilst precious ammunition is in scarce supply, other items can be made like speedy robo legs or a detector that offers an early alert to nearby enemies. Gulping down panic and resisting the overwhelming urge to plough every indispensable bullet into the first encounter, saving resources, hunting down parts and most importantly, then remembering which parts combine to make what item all becomes a tactical addiction. This is terrifying lo-fi sci-fi at its heartbreakingly hardest but is all the more rewarding for it.
A top-down Indie Game shooter, Teleglitch has been viciously testing player’s reflexes, nerves and patience since its release in January. Out this week, The Die More Edition is sure to take stress levels to all new highs as also includes 5 new branching bonus levels, such as the Robotic Hardware Assembly, the Damage Statistics Department, and Unstable Product Reconfiguration. Players will have access to new items and more weaponry in order to survive, plus new story content above and beyond those included in the original indie hit, along with smarter, deadlier enemy AI.
Teleglitch: Die More Edition is available now from digital distributors around the planet for $12.99. Happily, everyone who already owns a copy of the original Teleglitch will receive an e-mail with the Die More Edition for FREE!