Fate by Numbers
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| Fate by Numbers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Revival |
| Publisher(s) | Revival |
| Designer(s) | Paul van der Meer |
| Programmer(s) | Rudi Nagelhout |
| Platform(s) | Windows |
| Release | July 30, 2007 |
| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Fate by Numbers: An FMV Adventure Game is a free episodic full motion video adventure game developed by the independent Dutch development team Revival. The game was released as freeware and provides players with an experience in the futuristic noir genre. The first episode of the game was made available for download on July 30, 2007 and it garnered attention for its inventive use of FMV and its captivating storyline. There are no current plans for additional episodes.
Plot
The game's story follows Alice Sanger, a young private detective operating in the sprawling futuristic metropolis known as Big City. Alice's adventure takes an unexpected turn when she is asked to steal a mysterious briefcase from a passenger at a train station, only to be shot by an unknown assailant during the mission. After recovering from her injuries, players take control of Alice as she delves into the identity of her attacker and the contents of the enigmatic briefcase, seeking to uncover the connection between the two.
Gameplay
Fate by Numbers adopts a classic point-and-click adventure game style with a third-person perspective. Players interact with the game world by exploring various locations, interacting with objects, and solving puzzles to advance the narrative. The game's interface features a cursor that changes color when hovering over hotspots, allowing players to identify interactable elements.
Stylistically, the game draws inspiration from film noir, characterized by its monochromatic black-and-white visuals.
Development and release
Fate by Numbers was developed as a passion project by four students from the Communication and Multimedia Design program at Breda, the Netherlands.[1] The team consisted of Rudi Nagelhout (programming), Roy Heijdra (video composite), Winne Willems (producing), and Paul van der Meer (game design). The students, who were also avid gamers, sought to create an FMV adventure game that would evoke nostalgia for classic titles while offering a fresh experience.[1]
The development process involved creating a demo to understand the technical challenges and to test the viability of the project. They secured a studio space by converting an empty wing of their school into a "green screen studio" for filming the FMV sequences. The actors, who represented diverse cultural backgrounds, lent their voices and performances to bring the characters to life. Despite the limitations of their budget, the team managed to achieve impressive results with consumer-grade equipment and creative solutions for lighting and filming.[1]
The first episode of Fate by Numbers was released as freeware, with the creators intending not to profit from the game. Several gaming magazines featured the game on their cover DVDs, provided it was not sold separately from the magazines.[1]
Episodes
Fate by Numbers was conceived as an episodic adventure, with the hope of attracting the attention of publishers for potential future episodes, remakes, or related projects. As a graduation project, the first episode was made available for free download. The development team's original intention was to create further episodes in the series, but due to financial constraints and the need to secure employment, there are no current plans for an immediate follow-up.
Reception
Destructoid listed Fate by Numbers as the sixth best freeware adventure game of 2007.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d "Joystiq interviews Fate by Numbers director Paul van der Meer". Engadget.
- ^ Bennett, Colette (23 January 2008). "Adventure's not dead: Best freeware adventure games of 2007". Destructoid. Gamurs. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
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