Blackout is a cleverly crafted choose your own adventure game in which your choices have a dramatic effect on the narrative, as you unravel a dark mystery that draws inspiration from H.P. Lovecraft, Twin Peaks and White Wolf’s World of Darkness.
In Blackout you take on the role of a man who has witnessed something so terrifying that you’ve totally blacked out the events of the past few days. You can now try and piece together the pieces and uncover the truth…. or just try and forget and leave it all behind.
The Current build of Blackout features the first chapter of the story and sees you investigating (or not investigating) a strange noise down an alley. Unlike Telltale-style adventures, choices really do matter, with simple decisions totally altering how the entire rest of the narrative plays out. As well as making decisions, some sections task you with completing fairly simple reflex-testing QTEs, and you also have three attributes (Courage, Sanity and Fitness) that will rise or fall depending on your actions.
Depending on your choices you may just walk past the alley, hop on a bus and go home or you may decide to investigate the alley, where you may make a disturbing discovery, or not. Pretty much every action will have some effect on the narrative, even your choice of transport on the way home, and some of your choices will allow you to unlock some of your lost memories.
It’s still early in development, but Blackout already has a great sense of style, a well implemented UI and a great method of storytelling where your choices really really matter. It’s highly recommended to try multiple playthroughs to see how dramatically things can change. There’s no illusion of choice in this game you really do get to choose your own adventure.
Check out a Gameplay Video Here
Download The Blackout Alpha Build Here (Windows)