Manipulate the world around you by editing source code in an adventure game about a burnt out indie game developer's quest to fulfill a lifelong dream.
At the heart of the gameplay, players take on the role of Frank, a burnt-out indie developer, as they edit and reprogram various objects and systems within the game world. This core loop of solving coding-based puzzles drives the narrative forward, challenging players to apply their problem-solving skills and programming knowledge.
The game's coding interface is designed to be approachable for beginners, allowing players to quickly identify and manipulate the relevant code snippets. As the puzzles become more complex, the game gradually introduces new coding concepts, ensuring that both novice and experienced programmers can engage with the challenges.
Interspersed throughout the story are a variety of mini-games, ranging from classic arcade titles like Pong to custom-built challenges. Solving these puzzles by editing the underlying code not only unlocks progression but also allows players to directly impact the gameplay mechanics and outcomes, adding a sense of agency and creativity to the experience.
Beyond the coding puzzles, the game world encourages players to explore and interact with various objects and characters. Many of these interactions involve further code manipulation, enabling players to experiment and discover how their changes affect the surrounding environment. The pixel-art visual style complements the narrative's emotional tone, creating a cohesive and immersive experience.
One of the standout features of the gameplay is the sense of player agency and the consequences of their actions. Decisions made during coding puzzles and interactions can have lasting impacts on the story and the game world, requiring players to be mindful of their choices and how they might affect the outcome. This interconnected nature of the gameplay and narrative adds depth and replayability to the experience, as players may choose to approach certain challenges differently based on their understanding of the code and the potential consequences.