Infra (video game)

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Infra
Infra (video game) logo.png
Developer(s)Loiste Interactive
Publisher(s)Loiste Interactive
Designer(s)Aleksi Juvani
Jukka Koskelainen
Oskari Samiola
Mikko Viitaja
Programmer(s)Aleksi Juvani
Composer(s)Finnian Langham
EngineSource
Platform(s)
Release
15 January, 2016
  • INFRA: Part 1
  • INFRA: Part 2
    • NA: September 24, 2016[2]
    • EU: September 25, 2016[2]
  • INFRA: Part 3
    • WW: September 27, 2017[3]
Genre(s)First-person, adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Infra (stylized as INFRA) is a first-person adventure video game developed by Loiste Interactive.[4] The game was developed in multiple parts: The first part was released on 15 January, 2016. The second part was released as a free update on 24 September, 2016.[2] The third and final part was released as a free update on 27 September, 2017.[3]

Gameplay[]

The player acts as a structural engineer, tasked with inspecting infrastructure in and around the Scandinavian city of Stalburg. The player is equipped with only a camera, which is used to photograph structural damage, and a flashlight. Though taking photographs is optional, it affects the game's endings.

Gameplay primarily consists of solving puzzles to progress through each environment, and photographing any damage or relevant documents discovered along the way. During this exploration, the player will come across potentially lethal situations (such as rockfalls or electrified water), which become increasingly more dangerous as the city's infrastructure begins to fail.

Some puzzles, such as choosing to fully repair a facility, are optional and can be bypassed at the cost of missed photo opportunities.[5] To complete the game, the player must solve many mechanical and electrical puzzles and make choices to either save one's life or save the city.[4]

Plot[]

Infra is set in the fictional city of Stalburg, somewhere in the vicinity of the Baltic Sea, which recently emerged from a corruption scandal.[1] The player, 'Markku Siltanen', is a structural analyst & engineer.[1] He is tasked with surveying the Hammer Valley Dam, and discovers that the infrastructure is in poor condition. He soon accidentally causes the water tunnels to collapse, becoming trapped underground. Along the way, he begins to discover evidence of a conspiracy between the city's business magnates, ultimately resulting in many of the infrastructure failures.

Markku eventually escapes the underground. His boss, Paul, directs him to the Pitheath Water Treatment plant, to check on water pressure levels from the collapsed tunnels. He discovers that water flow has stopped, and travels via metro tunnels back to the office. However, his journey is interrupted by more collapsing infrastructure. Due to the water tunnel blockage, a high level of pressure is put on the derelict dam, causing it to burst. By the time he returns to the city, most powerplants have failed and the city is flooded. He meets up with his coworkers, who travel to the Black Rock Nuclear Power Plant in anticipation of flood damage. They discover that the reactor is at risk of melting down. The player must quickly solve a final puzzle, either successfully shutting down the reactor and saving the city, or failing to prevent the meltdown. The game's epilogue is dependent on how many pictures were taken - both photos of structural damage, and photos of evidence relating to the conspiracy:

If the player saved the reactor, but took below 50% of photographs, they will be living in a tenement with a roommate. If above 50%, they will be on vacation, and receive an offer from Paul to investigate 'Whiprock Island', a former prison. However, if the player was unable to prevent the nuclear meltdown, they will live in a rural cottage, suffering from radiation sickness - many areas of Stalburg were irradiated, resulting in thousands of deaths. Other details in the epilogue are determinant on player choices, such as optional puzzles - if the player repaired all three water treatment plants, the CEO of Stalburg Water is ousted & the city's potable water becomes safe. If the player ignored the puzzles, Stalburg is facing a water crisis, bottled water is mandatory, and 40,000 citizens become ill from contaminated water. Other details appear from optional puzzles & side characters.

Development[]

The developers were inspired to create the game after watching the 2009 documentary The Crumbling of America.[6]

Development began in 2011 (according to Indiegogo (blocked link)), and was Greenlit on Steam[7] 2 years later. Therefore total development took approximately 6 years (2011-2017), due to them being an indie development team. At one point, the developer Oskari Samiola mentioned that they were on low pay,[8] perhaps suggesting a 'free-time' project according to the thread comments.

Reception[]

Rock, Paper, Shotgun recommended purchasing the title,[6] and Christopher Livingston from PC Gamer stated he enjoyed the game.[9] Engineering.com, a trade publication, called the game "The Civil Engineering Game We've Been Waiting For."[10]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "INFRA: Part 2 is out now!". steamcommunity.com. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  2. ^ a b "INFRA: Complete Edition is out now!". steamcommunity.com. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "INFRA". infragame.net. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  4. ^ Berens, Nathaniel (February 14, 2018). "INFRA Review". Adventure Gamers. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  5. ^ a b "The Crumbling Of America: Infra". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  6. ^ "Steam Greenlight :: INFRA". steamcommunity.com. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  7. ^ "IndieDB Infra Thread". IndieDB. Retrieved October 20, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ "Becoming obsessed with safety in INFRA". PC Gamer. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
  9. ^ "INFRA: The Civil Engineering Game We've Been Waiting For". www.engineering.com. Retrieved March 26, 2016.

External links[]

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