Jaggy's Corner - Sunday March 31st

This week I want to bring to your attention a Kickstarter campaign that I am super excited about.

The particular campaign is important to me because it's for a new narrative adventure game being worked on by Cyan World, Inc. If that didn't give anything away, Cyan Worlds, Inc. were one of the companies that kicked off the first person puzzle genre with their hit title Myst. Though, at the time, another adventure puzzle game also helped to popularize the genre and that title was The 7th Guest. Games like Riddle of the Sphinx, The Crystal Key, Rhem, Starship Titanic, Syberia, and Atlantis: The Lost Tales were released as a result of the popularity of first person adventure games.

Here we are in 2019 and Cyan has decided to bring another exciting adventure story that can be played in both a VR and non-VR state. The game's title is Firmament and from the video footage shown on the Kickstarter page, I'm already excited. Here is a small taste of what is written on the Kickstarter page:

You wake in a glacial cavern - perfused by blue. It's crowded with metal pipes and adorned with curious, clockwork gears.

Echoing machinery resonates in your ears as a massive metal door opens before you...

As you enter a dark chamber, warm lights flicker to life, revealing a frigid, yet intimate stone interior, supported by riveted iron beams. In the middle of this room is an ancient table - a tea cup on one end and a frozen body slumped over the other. The corpse's hands hold an exquisite clockwork device - held out like an offering.

If that wasn't enough, the Myst series is well known for some of its music like the intro theme to Myst III: Exile. However, the most notable of the series is the theme song from Myst IV: Revelation, which I listened ad naseum. That brilliant piece of music can be heard here:

The series has used the talent of musicians like Robyn Miller in the first couple of games, Jack Wall for Myst III and IV, and Tim Larkin who worked primarily on Myst V - the last game of the series. However, my most favorite piece in the series is the exclusive track written by Jack Wall in collaboration with Peter Gabriel in Myst IV: Revelation. It is called Curtains and it's much more appropriate to listen to once the puzzle preceding it is complete but, this is the YouTube link without the video footage. (That way, nothing is spoiled about it.)

For this new title Firmament, the musician will be Russell Brower who is most known for his work on World of Warcraft. He's a three-time Emmy Award winning sound designer and will be lending his expertise to this new project.

Are you hooked yet?

If not, I encourage everyone who loves these kinds of puzzles games to take a look at the Kickstarter campaign that runs for another 26 days (from today). Right now, Cyan is not quite at the half way mark, but I have faith that they will reach their goal because I need this game in my life!

Here is the link to the Kickstarter page and the Twitter page for Firmament. Give them some love and don't let this one slide on by without making the goal because everything Rand Miller has released has been amazing, including Obduction (which I should really sit down and finish playing).

Anyways, spread the love! The gaming industry needs more amazing titles like Myst and Obduction done by good development companies like Cyan.

Until next time.

Article by Susan N.