Alt-Frequencies, the unusual time-looping audio journey from Accidental Queens (the oldsters behind A Normal Lost Phone), is out immediately. It’s an oddball puzzle, set completely within the consolation of your personal dwelling, listening to the radio. Problem is, the world (minus you) is repeating the identical three minutes time and again, and also you’ve acquired to by some means get away by recording messages from the airwaves, and sending them in as a caller. A coffee-break Groundhog Day situation, then. Have a pay attention on the audio-heavy trailer beneath, though the game itself is absolutely and helpfully subtitled.
While the narrative conceit of Alt-Frequencies appears to be very Groundhog Day (by the use of British daytime radio), I can’t assist however really feel a little bit of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney inspiration right here. Similar to the cross-examination segments, you’re listening to tales and selecting what explicit traces can be utilized as proof to disprove or in any other case affect the circulate of the story. You’re not making an attempt to level out contradictions, although, simply nudge the timeline a little bit bit at a time, typically by taking data from one station and bringing it early to a different.
It looks like – as with all good time-loop story – there’s some room for enjoyable and antics in there, with an achievements listing (seemingly spoiler-filled, so don’t go on the lookout for your self) filled with bizarre issues to strive. Shows could be derailed, characters could be confused, and paradoxes could be deliberately began. As for why the participant, simply sitting at their radio, is the only real character not repeating these couple of minutes many times? That’s presumably a thriller to be answered by the game itself.
Alt Frequencies is out now on Steam for £5.21/€7.19/$7.19, and printed by Plug In Digital.
