PHOBOS 101 is a short sci-fi investigation game made for Ludum Dare 60!
Analyze the incident, construct hypotheses, establish facts, and determine what happened on Phobos.
For the best experience, the downloadable desktop version is recommended.
Made solo during Ludum Dare 60 using Ren'Py and Cubase. The original soundtrack was composed specifically for the game. Sound effects were sourced from sound libraries and extensively edited for the final sound design.
The UI looks great, and the music fits perfectly. The sound effects for facts and hypotheses are really satisfying. I mostly went by trial and error, but I still managed to figure some things out. Looks interesting!
I hope I got it right that I'm supposed to pull facts out of the notes and verify them. So far it feels like the notes don't give you much to go on. I mostly got anywhere through trial and error. The music came out really suspenseful and spy-like, great atmosphere.
I played this for way too long. Didn't get all the facts, but I got enough to have a good idea what went down. Really liked the music. It helped set the mood. Very fun game. Good stuff 🎱
@avhatar Hi, congratulations on getting to the end! The notes are actually meant as a head start rather than enough information to solve everything directly — the idea is to use those initial clues to start uncovering facts through the terminal. Trial and error is a one of the tools. Thank you for playing!
Love the idea and the atmosphere with that music. But after 10 thoughtful attempts. I start to click on everything and just in combinatorics. Even though I read messages. Probably you can find more connection from what you already found. Love the idea!
@pazio-di-dante Hi, thanks for playing! You got the idea right - both the starting information and the facts you uncover, whether true or false, give you clues for what to try next. Glad you enjoyed atmosphere and music!
the investigation loop here is really well put together, turning facts and hypotheses into something you assemble yourself makes the mystery feel active instead of just reading a wall of text. the UI and soundtrack are doing a lot of heavy lifting too, the whole thing feels much bigger than a jam game. how did you keep the hypothesis system from turning into brute force trial and error? really impressive work.
I tried to make brute force possible in theory, but inefficient compared to actually following the information you uncover. The vocabulary is filtered so only valid words can be used in each slot, and both true and false hypotheses give you useful information for what to try next. The initial messages are meant to give you a few starting threads, and from there the facts start connecting into different routes through the story.
I actually spent most of the first day not coding at all, just mapping out the facts and how they could lead into one another. Really glad the investigation loop worked for you!
At first, I didn't get how to play and thought it was kind of rubbish. But then I decided to give it another try, and I actually ended up liking it! Cool! It gave me a real board game vibe.
Hi, @shikaka29, thank you for playing! Glad you gave it a second try and ended up liking it. I’m actually a big board game fan myself, so that comparison really warmed my heart!
Love the sound design, art, and concept! I’ve only found 9 facts so far, but I’m going back to try and find all 47. I’m not entirely sure what the archiving mechanic is for, though. The idea is really cool, and the execution is top-notch. Great job!
Hi, @sanechekz, thank you for playing, looking forward to seeing your perfect score!
I see the Archive less as another puzzle and more as a wrap-up — a way to sort through what you’ve discovered and solidify the story in your head piece by piece, since the facts can be uncovered out of chronological order. Thanks for the feedback!
I played this sooooo long, I got a lot of facts but not all of them! Once I realized that trial and error was needed to get more of the story, I was way more successful. Every time I successfully established a fact I was so excited, especially later, like, "oh, THAT'S what happened to Boris?!" Really cool, I wish I knew the whole story, I maxed out on filters and don't have the patience to do the whole thing again. I loved this game so much!! Reminds me a tiny tiny bit of The Incident at Galley House. Amazing work.
Great game! The music and atmosphere are perfect, and the premise is really intriguing. I love the investigation system, and I think with a few improvements this could work really well as a *Case of the Golden Idol* style game if you ever decide to expand it.
It would be cool to have a few more tools to help keep track of everything. Maybe a timeline and an overview of the characters where you can archive established facts about them as you go, rather than only at the end. Uncovering new sources of information as the investigation progresses could also be a nice addition.
This entry actually made me want to try making my own investigative game someday!
Hi, @kristinamay, that`s an impressive result! Thank you for playing! And yes, trial and error is indeed one of the tools, glad it clicked! I especially love how you discribed your "a-ha" moment, brings me real joy!
Hi, @liquid, thank you for playing! I really appreciate your ideas — they sound very neat, especially the timeline one! And yes, The Case of the Golden Idol was certainly an inspiration for me. I’m really glad the game inspired you to make your own investigation game someday. Godspeed!
The soundtrack is great, and the sound effects fit really well too. Piecing together what happened on Phobos is a cool idea. I’d only add a bit of animation to the screen, some flicker or glow, so it feels more alive and less like a still picture. Great work, especially on the music!
Hi, @rekk1d, thank you for playing! I really appreciate the compliments on the music — the soundtrack is actually available for download on itch.io. And you’re absolutely right, the game would definitely benefit from a few subtle animations to make the screen feel more alive.
Something entirely differnt. Good job with this.. very atmospheric. It got me thinking about some older space games on the amiga... Supremacy, Deuteros and stuff like that... nowhere near the same gameplay... I think it might the soundtrack and somehow the story.
Love the idea and the atmosphere with that music. But after 10 thoughtful attempts. I start to click on everything and just in combinatorics. Even though I read messages.
The way the suspenseful soundtrack complements the investigation process is genuinely effective. It really builds a tense, unfolding sense of mystery as you piece together facts. Great job crafting such a detailed sci-fi puzzle!
I have a memory like a goldfish; it'd be nice to refer back to the initial notes in the game while getting started. (Ah, I missed it somehow in the upper-right, it didn't look like a button.)
Actually first game that made me read, because it was interesting. Super cool concept. I could call myself some kind of detective now :D, Great game, i guess this could be a genre on it's own. Good luck
Comments34
I mostly got anywhere through trial and error.
The music came out really suspenseful and spy-like, great atmosphere.
P.S. Posted soundtrack on itch.io for download, enjoy!
Great job !
Love the idea!
I tried to make brute force possible in theory, but inefficient compared to actually following the information you uncover. The vocabulary is filtered so only valid words can be used in each slot, and both true and false hypotheses give you useful information for what to try next. The initial messages are meant to give you a few starting threads, and from there the facts start connecting into different routes through the story.
I actually spent most of the first day not coding at all, just mapping out the facts and how they could lead into one another. Really glad the investigation loop worked for you!
But then I decided to give it another try, and I actually ended up liking it!
Cool!
It gave me a real board game vibe.
I see the Archive less as another puzzle and more as a wrap-up — a way to sort through what you’ve discovered and solidify the story in your head piece by piece, since the facts can be uncovered out of chronological order. Thanks for the feedback!
It would be cool to have a few more tools to help keep track of everything. Maybe a timeline and an overview of the characters where you can archive established facts about them as you go, rather than only at the end.
Uncovering new sources of information as the investigation progresses could also be a nice addition.
This entry actually made me want to try making my own investigative game someday!
Excellent entry 👍