Arc System Works, the studio responsible for classic fighting games like Guilty Gear and BlazBlue, has announced Donutal, an “alien screening adventure” in which you’ll be deciding whether to grant aliens entry to Earth.
The game, which bears more than a few similarities to indie hits like Papers, Please and No, I’m Not a Human (and the aliens very definitely are not in this case), will be coming to PC via Steam sometime this year, although no release date has been given yet.
Arc System Works describes Donutal as a game in which you “uncover true identities through conversation”, which is also the main mechanic of the game; you’ll be talking to aliens, trying to figure out their motives, and then accepting or rejecting their applications to enter the planet.
Arc System Works has gone and made an alien screening adventure in Donutal.
You’ll play as someone who’s just been awakened from 150 years of cryosleep, and you’ll have to commit yourself to your new role of Alien Entry Examiner despite the fact that you’re suffering from amnesia.
While examining aliens’ applications, you can summon them to an interrogation room, and by summoning different combinations of aliens, you may learn more about their motivations for coming to Earth.
Additionally, you’ll have to figure out whether prosperous aliens who can contribute to the planet via tourism or academia could also be dangerous individuals; getting this wrong could lead to “irreversible consequences”, according to Arc.
Each day, you’ll be greeted with a morning news bulletin that will reflect how well you did in screening aliens and allowing the right ones to join the Earth population. You can check out a trailer for Donutal here.
Donutal is coming to PC via Steam sometime this year. A demo for the game is available now if you’d like to see whether it’s your cup of tea or not. Stay tuned for more.