DESCRIPTION:
OUR MISSION:
Alexei Ananenko, Valeri Bezpalov, and Boris Baranov. These three men are the only reason the Chernobyl disaster didn’t devastate all of Europe for generations to come, and Liquidators is the only game that lets players experience how each of them managed to contain this nuclear catastrophe. You traverse the radioactive bowels of the blast site, carefully orienting your every step based on the readings of your Geiger counter. Each liquidator has their own set of skills, from stamina to crawling in vents, that gives players a variety of ways to approach the hazardous challenges between them and the valves that will drain excess water destabilizing the reactor core. Whether they all make it out, or more importantly, succeed at all, is in your hands.
DEVELOPERS:
1986 CL3
RELEASE DATE:
September 20th, 2020 (PC)
PLATFORMS:
STEAM (PC)
GENRE:
Survival Horror, First-person
WEBSITE:
https://www.liquidatorsarchive.com/
PRESS / BUSINESS CONTACT:
SOCIAL MEDIA:
PRICE:
Free
This project is dedicated to all the liquidators, first responders, and support units that responded to the Chernobyl disaster. Through interactivity, people have a fresh way to experience the danger and horrors of their mission firsthand, with this being only one of many. It is our goal to raise awareness for the people that contained the fallout, which is why we have decided to go uncredited as developers and stay anonymous. The focus of our game is squarely on them and the organizations that support those affected by this tragic moment in history. One such charity is Chernobyl Children International, who provides ongoing access to medical services and community support for children affected by the blast. We ask that players donate to this cause and others like it in lieu of paying for the game.
HISTORY:
Liquidators started as a USC master’s thesis project in 2019, with an interactive demo completed in just 2 days by a single student. It put the player in control of a single Chernobyl liquidator exploring a section of the destroyed reactor. After struggling to garner any external funding, it caught the attention of a few passionate students who wanted to see the demo flushed out to its full potential. The goal was clear from the very beginning: to create the most intense, edge-of-your-seat gameplay through systems such as permanence and unpredictability. After a few months of development, a playable demo of one section was released. The team was determined to make a complete experience, and after a few more months, the game was released on Steam, for free, to overwhelmingly positive reception.
FEATURES:
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Tense and Methodical Gameplay: each step could be your last, as you navigate the world with only a geiger counter and flashlight to guide you
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Puzzles and Variety: solve four unique sets of environmental puzzles, each with different ways to be solved depending on the liquidator you are playing, to reach one of two endings
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80’s Aesthetic with a Twist: explore an authentic recreation of Chernobyl through the lens of an adjustable filter that gives the modern assets a retro, pixelated look
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Gut-Wrenching Story: hear loved ones and others radio in their final messages of admiration and thanks, as they assume the worst for these heroes
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Play at Your Pace: feel free to quit the game and return later, as it is constantly saving your progress
LAUNCH TRAILER
GAMEPLAY
Credit to Alpha Beta Gamer.
Credit to Raptor
Credit to Vinesauce: The Full Sauce
IMAGES:
POSTERS
IN-GAME IMAGES
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LOGO:
ADDITIONAL LINKS:
Chernobyl Children International
We ask that any players looking to support us donate to https://www.chernobyl-international.com/
DevGAMM 2020 Booth
https://games.devgamm.com/2020/games/liquidators
Creative PLAY20 Festival Team Interview
TEAM:
Anonymous
CONTACT:
SELECTED ARTICLES:
"...a minimalist, menacing soundtrack adds extra tension to the experience — the shifting of metal, ticking Geiger counter, and strained breathing all adding a sense of frailty to the protagonist."
-Amy Davidson, The Escapist
"An intense and claustrophobic experience that makes a great tribute to three brave souls who saved millions of lives."
-Calum Fraser, Free Game Planet
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