This is a Downloadable Game
It is made using Ren'Py and works on Windows, Mac and Linux platforms. Simply download the correct distribution using the links below.
Pandora's
Box
- Pandora's Box overview:
- "A rather disturbing exploration of sanity and lonliness"
- Single player
- Win, Mac, Linux
- 9+ yrs
- Free!
January 2012 - After years of vigorously shaking our heads at the idea of computer games, this, third, digital release marks the point where our computer games now outnumber our traditional games. Worrying stuff, indeed. But not quite as worrying as the contents of Pandora's Box ...
DOWNLOAD: Windows (32Mb zip), Mac (28.7Mb zip), Linux (27.2Mb tar)
"Pandora's Box is a nightmarish text-based adventure game, with the adventure being your own mind. The mystery at the heart of the game constantly swims in and out of focus and there are clues to locate that may or may not help you. It might even be a new genre: A 'whyisit', rather than a 'whodunnit'."
This game was originally planned to be my entry into Ludum Dare in December 2011. Ludum Dare is quite an epic undertaking by game developers all over the world to produce a complete game from start-to-finish inside a strict timeframe. There are several "competitions": the 24 hour, the 48 hour and then the 72 hour jam. This year the theme was ALONE.
However, as each successive competition deadline slid by, my game became more and more involved. I decided to use the visual novel engine, Ren'Py that I used for Ewe of the Falklands since it's basically the only way I can make a game in any timeframe. Originally, Pandora's Box was just a mood piece that vaguely fostered feelings of loneliness and isolation, but what got me intrigued was a system of "dynamic madness" that I built into the game early on which would change the game's assets (the background, character art and the music too), depending on when you take certain decisions. Because of this ever-changing nature it ended up being not just more complicated than EoF (there are many more main story branches) but far more disconcerting too. This is what my planning map looked like by the end of Day 2.
Once I realised (with heavy heart) there was no hope of submitting a valid Ludum Dare entry, I eased off the gas a bit and started to craft the storyline more. I added in elements of a kind of treasure hunt. The "clues" are not only necessary to "complete" the game, but will maybe, possibly help you understand what the hell is going on. Literature boffins probably have a head start here, but don't go searching for meaning too much. It *is* incomplete. Deliberately so perhaps, but still not a cohesive work. Anyway, enough rambling ...
Please note: Sound is a really important part of the game, so please put on your headphones to get the most, erm, enjoyment out of the game.
DOWNLOAD: Windows (32Mb zip), Mac (28.7Mb zip), Linux (27.2Mb tar)
Screenshots
I even gave myself the creeps making this.
Someone's not a happy bunny.
You really should say something. Anything.
Credits
- The final music is Bruckner's 7th symphony - 1st movement
- Somewhere in there, mashed up to hell-and-back is "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" written by Eric Idle (1991)
Links
- Pandora's Box
- Indie Game Mag review
- A review by Seth Tipps's - I was striving for exactly this kind of reaction. Seth is too forgiving, but it made me happy that at least one person had this experience.
As always, we are very interested to hear your feedback. It helps us improve our games, but it also encourages us. So, careful.
What Do You Think?
This game is released under Creative Commons licence