Developer: Deep Field Games
Publisher: Playstack
Platform: PC
Tested on: PC
Abiotic Factor – Preview
Survival and crafting can be an inherently engaging foundation for a game. So much so that examples are a dime a dozen nowadays. Abiotic Factor is a science-fiction first-person crafting-survival immersive simulation for up to 6 players. Developed by New Zealand-based Deep Field and published by Playstack from London in the United Kingdom, it is currently available in Steam Early Access. So how does Abiotic Factor stand out of the crowd? Is it worth your time and money? You won’t need an Inter-Dimension-ology PhD with our preview!
The introduction puts us in an off-road vehicle driving through the red sand of the Australian outback. Our driver in security uniform drops us off close to a ramshackle cabin in the middle of nowhere, then steers off into the horizon. This cabin turns out as the front of the top-secret GATE Cascade Research Facility. Foreshadowing piles on and it becomes very clear during instructions to some odd protocol: Nothing at GATE is going according to said protocol.
Soon we are introduced to various creatures from alien dimensions called Anteverses. Moreover, the scientists retrieved many seemingly mundane objects from there. Despite their appearance, they are described and handled as extremely dangerous; even that extra-dimensional vending machine dispensing radioactive Kizz Cola. To top it all off, a cult-like military organization called The Order is trying to purge both aliens and scientists alike.
The Kizz Cola machine “chose” this spot in a hallway between office and lab sectors.
The story is told in several ways: Meeting other employees, reading e-mails, or holographic messages by research director Dr. Derek Manse. An extensive journal keeps track of all that lore. Entity logs, employee files, e-mails, and holograms are all neatly organized in there. This is rounded off by a good amount of environmental story-telling, so make sure to look around for details and story bits.
Abiotic Factor wears its inspiration by late 90s first-person games proudly on its sleeve. The resemblance to the likes of System Shock 2, Deus Ex, or Half-Life is – pun intended – Unreal. What IS real, given its setting, is the danger of presenting players with repetitive, sterile hallways. Thankfully Deep Field didn’t make The Backrooms and instead created highly varied environments: Office spaces, industrial installations, archives, server farms, containment facilities, a variety of different laboratories, and thanks to unexplained metaphysics, we even get to visit the Anteverses.
Environments are varied, detailed, and never show any lack of verticality.
We found Abiotic Factor‘s sound to be ranging from serviceable to outstanding. For starters, its music stays firmly in the background and we couldn’t name a single stand-out track. On the other hand, great directionality and mixing help immerse us into the GATE research facility. We also found several memorably delivered lines in both its professional-sounding and delightfully amateurish voice work. Because of Abiotic Factor‘s somewhat silly tone, this approach gels really well with the rest of the presentation. Especially our character’s lines provoked occasional chuckles, with stilted exclamations like, “I can feel my proteins denaturing”, really selling our avatar as an enormous geek.
Much of Abiotic Factor plays like an immersive simulation, inviting us to explore complex, detailed open areas. A multitude of routes and shortcuts connect all the different sectors of the GATE facility. Navigating the world is as exciting as it is confusing. Many times we’d exit some air duct to discover we’re back at a familiar spot. Exploration is closely linked with survival and crafting gameplay. The former includes familiar staples: Hunger, thirst, and fatigue want constant attention. And is it really science-fiction survival without radiation? Eating raw meat, drinking tainted water, or accumulating too much radiation leads to sickness, wasting precious nutrition and hydration in the process. Lastly, we have to manage our toilet needs or risk things getting smelly, giving us away to enemies. All this adds welcome pressure, as we decide between returning to base camp or improvising outposts. Frying up some alien steaks makes them safe to eat and also gets rid of their inherent radiation. Pots allow boiling water and soup – which grants buffs while filling hunger and thirst simultaneously.
Numerous kitchens and recreation rooms invite us to build a camp – if we don’t mind the occasional body.
So we alternate managing our constant needs with collecting all kinds of materials – ranging from banal to bizarre – so we can get stronger and find new recipes. These are learned by finding new crafting ingredients, reading e-mails, or talking to NPCs. Before actually unlocking the recipe, some require us to complete a “guess the ingredients” mini-game. There are a bunch of these, and we don’t feel they add much enjoyment. Contrary to the excitement of unlocking new sectors of the facility. This is usually done by crafting some technological doodad or another, and this tests our understanding of finding rare materials. Ultimately, it boils down to smashing to bits office furniture, lab equipment, and alien creatures alike, then duct taping and stapling said bits together, fabricating all kinds of incredible gadgets, weapons, and armor.
Last but certainly not least, a selection of skills provides players with a constant sense of progression. Our chosen job grants initial skill levels and sometimes starting items. Positive and negative traits allow further customization. Skills are improved by simply using them and range from improving weapon damage or stamina to more efficient cooking. Perks unlocked at specific skill levels add more engaging features like a dodge roll, workbench upgrades, or the use of heavy weapons without that hefty penalty. Some exclusively benefit other players, but we played completely solo.
At time of writing, 14 skills are available for players to advance in.
Conclusion
Abiotic Factor almost perfectly straddles the line between an authentic homage and a fresh take on immersive simulations. Diverging from genre trends like a focus on stealth, mobility, and impressive super-powers, Deep Field gives us a world full of obstacles and a plethora of tools to overcome them. With its presentation firmly rooted in classics of decades past, it lightens up the hubris of scientific megalomania by infusing its own blend of dark humor and outright silliness. Although most of the mini-games fell flat for us, the core gameplay loop is a highly compelling roundabout of exploration, survival, and crafting. Quite possibly more fun with a group of friends, even for solo players we can definitely give our recommendation for Abiotic Factor.
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