"s.p.l.i.t" is a short narrative driven horror game, with a focus on raw terminal hacking using various commands.
Throughout the game, you chat with your fellow technicians in order to plan and execute a malware attack. Regardless of the outcome, your story won't be told for decades.
Will you...
Windows 10/11, Intel Core i5-4460, 4 GB RAM, GTX 780, Version 11, 400 MB available space, Vulkan sup...
Description
"s.p.l.i.t" is a short narrative driven horror game, with a focus on raw terminal hacking using various commands.
Throughout the game, you chat with your fellow technicians in order to plan and execute a malware attack. Regardless of the outcome, your story won't be told for decades.
Will you hold up your end?
FEATURES:
First person gameplay with diegetic & immersive UI.
An IRC chat where you gain intel, and learn more about the facility.
A terminal where you run software, navigate directories, and execute commands.
Detailed command prompt hacking puzzles with an emphasis on traditional inputs.
Original soundtrack.
The facility you and your crew infiltrate is a superstructure of unethical electronics.
The daunting task is only made possible by careful planning, and vulnerabilities hidden deep below legacy code and engineering.
System requirements
Minimum system requirements:
Recommended system requirements:
Recommended system requirements:
Why buy on GOG.COM?
DRM FREE. No activation or online connection required to play.
This game is very unique, and wasn’t like any I’ve played in a long time now. You basically run terminal commands and chat over IRC as you try and hack into a system. The game is very short (I finished it in 45 min), but considering the low price, I have no issue with this. The story was interesting, and the occasional fast typing mechanics were a fun addition. The graphics are brilliant and the sound design is also great.
There were a couple of annoyances though,
1) When chatting, the speed the character types does not match the speed you type on your keyboard. This damages the immersion somewhat for me.
2) Although the terminal commands are inspired by DOS/bash, I can’t, for instance, navigate through multiple folder levels using a single command, which also ruined immersion a bit.
These are nitpicks and I’ll be bumping this up to a 5/5 if they ever get fixed. Hope to see more from this developer in the future.
As suggested by Jinini, I played the titles in the free Unsorted Horror anthology first, all made by Mike Klubnika.
They were all exquisite and none of them really horror, as I would call his genre "Dread".
s.p.l.i.t seems to be an unofficial sequel to "Tartarus Engine" from the anthology and I must say that it evolves the minimal lore and the game design elements typical of Klubnika's other titles masterfully.
The graphics are also in the same vein and contributing to the same dread.
The criticisms to the interface miss the point of this kind of games, in which the clunkiness of the interface is part of the design choices.
The game is easy because the focus is the story, and the little story is so good that I, definitely not a completionist, went back in to look at the second ending right away.
Definitely a perfect game that checks all my boxes and achieves everything it is explicityl trying to achieve.
Perfect for people like me who like a good short story conveyed by a game as a medium in which agency becomes part of the experience.
On top of that, keyboard only, Godot Engine, no analytics and a Linux native build would earn it a whole extra star in my book.
Followed Mike on Steam and made a new Discord account only to interact with him and others who appreciate his work.
See you there.
Although the gameplay might be enfuriating for those who have never dealt with a terminal.
There is a decision made here abou this gameplay. In many ways this is a typing game, framed by the intensity of the situation. And yet another chapter in the Kublinika universe.
Bought this game on Steam.
Too short; you can get both endings under an hour. While I like the atmosphere, I feel like there’s missed potential with its narrative and gameplay.
3.5/5 7/10. Almost a 4 star.
A few minor spoilers after the spoiler tag, skip that section if you want.
(A small headsup to peole who are greatly offended by suicide, you might want to stay clear of this one. You WILL die in this game, in both endings. But if you know the dystopian mind tech and world in his games, you will understand why and would want to take that route yourself. The alternative of capture to an endless mind prison is not preferable here.)
Godot engine and no analytics, ty for this!
═════
Mike Klubnika does it again!
This guy is truly a master at capturing the right atmosphere of suspense and psychological horror within a simulation that makes you feel like you're there yourself!
Some people wont understand this game or value what he aims for in his games, or be able to appreciate his style and focused attention to the tags which imo are spot on accurate every time.
Some might have too high expectations and expect a 100% accurate file/terminal system, which to me would sound like overkill on the average player's focus skills b/c I think ppl who are not used to this system would be too overwhelmed by the amount of options and then either sit with a guide from start to finish or walk away b/c its way too complicated. Its already a bit overwhelming as is if your not familiar with this.
I thought it was great as it was. A few times I was lost a bit and had to circle around a lot, but every information you need is said/written and if you can manage to pay attention and follow it step by step, and feel the room and what you are doing, you enjoy this.
I would maybe say that if you played this and didnt like it, and have never played any of his Unsorted Horror games before, I would recommend you go give those a try to get a feeling for what this world is and why they would want to do this and why they would very much rather die than be taken alive.
In particular Tartarus Engine will give you an excellent pre entry on what this game's future dangerous dystopian tech is able to do and what a slave to the coorperations they are.
Carbon Steel is a true masterpiece of his, absolutely brilliant in capturing the moment and should also be played by everyone at some point.
These two games and the Other Side was all a definite 5 star in my eyes. So when I compare this game to those 3 masterpieces, this one it also great but not 'as' great.
All 5 previous horror games in that bundle is not at all needed to play this one first, but is however somewhat set in the same dystopian tech world and sets the mood and understanding well. So if you didnt like this one, come back and give it another try later after getting familiar with his other works!
═════
ⓘ
You play as Axel, your friends are Viktor and Sarah.
The year is 2082 and the unethical Ketas Electronics must be shut down!
The three of you are are trying to inject malware into their system.
𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙜𝙤𝙖𝙡 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙 𝙆𝙞𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚, 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙠𝙚𝙮. 𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙖𝙮 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙩, 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙤𝙪𝙩. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙠𝙚𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙮'𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙞𝙣𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙚.
The game is played without mouse input and just a few keys, alt + a or d / arrows to switch screens, + typing.
The chat typing with your friends is predetermined; you cant type your own words so you just click random keys and let it play out, including the password which it types automatically when you type something. Its a sim, pretend its your own doing ;)
The terminal commands and word spelling uses your own letters tho.
𝘼 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨, followed by enter to input. Same way you would a normal keyboard.
You can only type these in the terminal window, not the chat window with your friends, so remember to switch back and forth as needed.
𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 shows these same commands, type this in the terminal whenever you need.
𝙡𝙨 List files and folder names within that folder you are in.
𝙘𝙙 Change directory, type this to go to the folder location you want to execute commands within that specific sub folder. For example 'cd downloads'.
𝙘𝙙 .. Change directory, but one step backwards. Remember to input a SPACE in between cd and ..
𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣 Opens that file, such as a cve file. 'Open filename.type'
𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙗𝙚 Look for local divices. Type probe to search.
𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩 Connect to local devices once you have their ID nb. 'Connect nb'
𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙤 Lets you edit a file. Type nano followed by file name and enter.
𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧 you can clear the window if you feel there is too much and 'start over' with 'help' and 'ls'.
𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙩 Your most helpful friendly command. Use this as much as you want to take notes. Use it to remember ID nb's, server nb etc.
If you forget you need to go back for it so be sure to use this for anything you might need to use later on. There is a word limit, so for example the prison inmate nb could be 'print inm 123456'
𝙋𝙜𝙐𝙥 and Down to scroll through the text and chat.
When asked to 𝙞𝙣𝙥𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝 𝙠𝙚𝙮 and you see the numbers in the ( brackets ), dont write those!
On info screen it will look something like this (123456, 34567, 67890).
Instead you write 123456, 34567, 67890 Enter.
When asked to add the 𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙 𝙠𝙞𝙩 𝙄𝘿 to the list of trusted devices, simply add your nb in the next line after the last number in the list, and keep the ) either right after your nb or put it in the next line below your nb.
Remember to go back a step or 9 (or however many you managed to confound yourself with) if needed to view or open the right files and folders, you might be in a subfolder so it wont show the right stuff for you.
🆂🅿🅾🅸🅻🅴🆁🆂 !
Only very few folders and files will be used, the rest is there for immersion.
The main home folders 'utils' and 'games' is not needed and can be skipped, to save a bit of overwhelming confusion for ppl who might struggle with this stuff.
If you fail to type fast enough on the word game stuff then you get the bad ending and only get hanged. Seems to be any word when I tested it, not just the word at the spoilery moment.
For the good ending, type fast enough,(its doable dont worry) and get your brain crippled so they cant connect you/it to the machine.
═════ ═════ ═════
I played it full many times to really appreciate the whole setting, and loved both endings.
The amount of times I tried to type in non relevant stuff in the terminal and kept tabbing out tho xD
I would love if Unsorted Horror came to GOG too, there is nothing like it anywhere tbh. They are so unique and and brilliantly done for their style that I hope GOG users can play it too someday. I played them when I was on steam but would 'buy' them in a heartbeat here too (take my money darnit, its a crime to release those masterpieces for free!) :)
More pls!
Price is fair!
🐧 Arch Linux EndeavourOS
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