REMOTE CONTROL

REMOTE CONTROL is a sci-fi horror typing adventure set aboard The Pelican, a ship that has stopped communicating. The crew’s last message before going silent was “It worked.” The player takes the role of a Remote Proxy Handler working for the Plutus Corporation, which wants to find out what happened. A routine data-retrieval job becomes more complicated as the ship is explored.

The player controls human proxies by typing commands from a desk. Proxies act only when instructed, so the player types to move them around and to search locations. The game begins with a small list of available commands, and more are learnt as the player explores, gathers information and unlocks new areas of the ship. Hazards are present throughout, and proxies can be injured. When progress is blocked, the player chooses between pushing a proxy through the danger or looking for a safer route.

The player has six proxies, each with different likes and fears that can help or hinder how a situation is approached. Death is permanent. Exploration reveals scattered evidence and personal logs that gradually show how the crew’s situation fell apart, including signs of blackmail, betrayal and corporate greed, as well as an unfamiliar presence on the ship. The ship also appears to respond to the player as they move deeper into it.