Future Games, the Czech Republic based developer behind Black Mirror and NiBiRu, has recently announced a new adventure game called Reprobates. Currently scheduled for release during Fall 2006, Reprobates promises a dark, brooding story that will grip you from the start, not to mention significant improvements to the engine used in the previous Future Games titles.
It all starts as an ordinary day. Adam casually gets into his car to head over to work. He expects nothing more than several dull hours before finally getting to spend time with his girlfriend. But today is not at all ordinary and Adam will not be taking his usual relaxed drive. Just as he starts the engine, Adam is overcome by a quick flash of pain. For a moment, he can see nothing except for a bright white light engulfing him. The pain only lasts for a moment and then it starts to fade. Shaken and disturbed, Adam nevertheless gets on the road.
Adam relaxes as the pain completely subsides. He turns up the radio, trying to forget about the incident. But he only travels a few short blocks. A gas truck comes charging down the street and crashes into Adam’s car. There is nothing left but the eerie blinding white light. The accident should be fatal. Adam should not be able to make it out of the car alive. But destiny has other plans for the young man.
When Adam opens his eyes again, he appears to be in a small hut. He quickly realizes that he is in a strange island with a number of people from different time periods. People are controlled by a mysterious bell. It seems no one can resist falling asleep upon hearing the ring. Inhabitants inexplicably disappear at night, never to be seen again. Cryptic messages around the island compel Adam to question and explore. What is the truth behind the island? Did Adam truly survive the seemingly fatal accident? Adam struggles to understand the mystery before he too disappears into the unknown. The press release from Future Games leaves us with the following words: “Answers appear and at once disappear in another ringing [of the bell]. The night comes. Will it be the last one? Or will there be another morning?”
Reprobates certainly has what it takes to spark some curiosity. The official site at www.FutureGames.cz also notes that Reprobates will be using the next generation of the AGDS engine. Realistic character animations aside, adventure gamers can look forward to nifty features like “emotions in [character] faces, ageing, and atmospheric effects.” The screenshots do reveal that the game will have a crisp look. The changes in the engine certainly sound promising. But from the early information available, it looks like the interesting story and dark setting will be the true highlights of Reprobates. It will be an anxious wait before we can find out the mystery behind the island and what really happened to Adam on that fateful day. Future Games might be on the verge of unleashing another powerful twisted mystery upon adventure gamers.
 
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