The Acreage

The Acreage is an oddball sci-fi game that slowly grows on you. You are Lain Bellets, a mercenary born in the Pisces constellation. A man named Desmond hires you to escort him and his companion Isaac to a monastery on a planet called Surst.

Isaac is unlike anyone you’ve ever met. Childlike stature, sickly pale skin, mechanical eyes, and black wires growing from his scalp. He communicates via a device hidden in his clothes and only speaks in verses… and he’s taken an interest in you.

But your ship, The Vigil, was damaged after escaping a scuffle with law enforcement. The three of you are now stuck in Bluèl, a city on some nondescript world.

Gameplay
Gameplay revolves around the end goal of getting your ship in working condition so you can leave. This means navigating the city and networking to find individuals who can help you. There are just over a dozen locations. You begin in a seedy motel room.

A CLINIC and GROCERY STORE are nearby. A short flight of stairs leads to a PAWNSHOP. Between two buildings you see a small TENT, firelight still flickers from within. A VENDOR stands by her STALL, holding out various trinkets for sale.

ISAAC huddles next to you, wrapping his tunic close in the cold.

Exits are listed at the bottom of the screen. A built-in map is also available. It is a Quest game (fortunately, the website now allows you to save without an account).

While I do wish that more scenery could be examined, the game does reward the player for noticing certain details. For example, (Spoiler - click to show)you listen to the men gambling outside the shacks, you get another dialog option when talking to the seer.

The coolest feature is probably the three characters who exist inside your head as colour-coded dialogue: Synapse (yellow), Animus (blue), Sinew (red).

Familiar voices echo within the architecture of your being.

I’m not sure if they are A.I.s or something more abstract, but they contribute guidance and humour, sometimes even disagreeing with each other. They are especially helpful in making sense of Isaac’s cryptic manner of speech. As a result, I was never lost and always knew what my immediate objectives were. Plus, they’re fun characters. Like when we spot a stunningly beautiful person in the bar.

SINEW: Wow.

ANIMUS: Wow indeed.

They also serve as a moral compass, weighing the pros and cons of available choices.

Story
Backstory
Humanity resides throughout the constellations of the zodiac. The space between them, if I’m not mistaken, is called the “acreage.” Sometime ago, all sources of starship fuel were destroyed by an unknown agent, preventing travel between regions. This event was known as the Divide. Deprived of trade and commerce, many civilizations died out.

Thanks to the invention of “fold engine” technology, travel has been restored. But the Divide’s left regions vulnerable to exploitation by corporations like GasTechnin that seek to monopolize and control workforces. Just listen to what the citizens of Bluèl have to say about life there. (Spoiler - click to show)The parasitic secretary expects us to work 10 months at a gas refinery just to leave the space port.

Immediate story
Initially, it appears that Isaac is Desmond’s “sidekick.” It’s actually the other way around.

Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the ideas contained in this story. I won’t spoil it, but the things Isaac reveals about himself are shocking and kind of cool. A recurring joke is how people assume that Isaac is your son.

He looks over at Isaac and beams a smile in his direction, seemingly unconfused by small figure’s strange appearance.

“We also have plenty of roles for children eager to earn some spending money.”

The volume of Isaac’s silence seems to suddenly increase.

With Isaac, there are also some philosophical, perhaps even religious, themes associated with his character. We get the sense that he is (Spoiler - click to show)on a mission for a higher purpose regarding the acreage. He hints that you can be a part of this, if you so choose.

Endings
The game’s description says that there are multiple endings, but I only found two. Without going into detail, they align in the fashion of (Spoiler - click to show)“do you go back to your old life or do you try something new?” I’m curious to know if there are any other outcomes.

Visuals
Its appearance is of a black background and primarily green text. The font does take some time to get used to, but this is offset by key words being displayed in white text and in ALL-CAPS. Cleverly, the screen changes when you (Spoiler - click to show)access the office terminal.

I did find spelling errors (the game is currently Version 1.0.)

ISAAC leavevs and waits silently for you at the bar's entrance, simmering with angy.

Then again, I suppose there is a lot of text to proofread in this game.

Final thoughts
Some games, when you play them, feel like an easy five stars. With The Acreage, its potency snuck up on me. It wasn’t until I reached the end that I realized, “I love this game. What a great experience.” The appeal is hard to pin down. It feels more surreal than other sci-fi games I’ve played. Its depiction of space travel is especially interesting. And Isaac. Odd… but elusive. As I said, it grows on you.

It certainly helps that the gameplay has features that guide you in the right direction. That way, you can complete it and decide whether it resonates with you. I noticed that the game begins with “PART ONE: OLD BEGINNINGS.” Does this mean The Acreage is only the first installment? I hope so.