Signal from the Stars shows signs of life on Steam Early Access

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Zak McKracken-inspired indie adventure based on real-world mysteries available for Windows, Mac and Linux

There are all kinds of fascinating real-world mysteries left unexplained, despite the best attempts of diligent hobbyist researchers to crack them. Who knew a single family would be the ones to finally solve many of them? At least, they'll have a chance to in indie developer Martijn van Berkel's debut point-and-click adventure, Signal from the Stars.

While plot details remain closely guarded secrets for now, the game stars Martin, Diana, and Nikki, a husband, wife and teenaged daughter based on the developer's own family (though with their appearances changed). After a thunderstorm one night at their house in the Netherlands, a "strange old object is discovered beneath a fallen tree," which players will need to help them retrieve. This incredible find proves to be the catalyst that propels the trio into a series of escapades across the world in places such as Peru, India, Mexico, Easter Island, Egypt, Costa Rica, Antarctica and Bosnia. While steering clear of well-worn topics like "UFOs, ghosts [and] aliens," the game's subject matter will be based on the developer's own decades of study of "ancient texts and research on mysteries from the distant past." 

What isn't a mystery is that Signal from the Stars will be a very traditional point-and-click adventure for the most part, which should come as no surprise since it is inspired by the 1988 Lucasfilm Games classic Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders. Presented in a pleasing pixel art style, the game promises numerous playable scenes around the world, with a variety of different characters to interact with along the way. Of course there will be items to collect and puzzles to solve as well, using a streamlined SCUMM-style verb interface to interact with the environment. 

One key difference from most games, however, will be its three playable characters, as you're able to switch between the three fully voiced family members at will to progress your investigations. While the story ultimately plays out the same way, "certain events differ" according to who is actively attempting them, and they are all capable of breaking the fourth wall at times to directly address the player. The tone is meant to be "humorous but grounded in reality ... inviting players to look beyond the ordinary, question the unexplained and explore the mysteries of our universe." 

The full version of Signal from the Stars is still "a year or more" away, but the first five playable scenes are available now for Windows, Mac and Linux through Steam Early Access, comprising four locations in and around the family home in the Netherlands, and one in India, the first stop on their globe-trotting adventure, with two difficulty levels to choose from and "more scenes and locations planned for future updates."

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