Cyan is the studio that brought us the classic exploration puzzle game Myst, as well as the sequel Riven and the latest entry Obduction from 2016. Their new game Firmament clearly follows in the footsteps of that lineage.
Firmament has been brought to life thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign the studio ran in 2019, the same way they funded their previous game Obduction. This newest trailer shows off lots of pretty environments, mechanical contraptions, and otherworldly architecture. Basically, everything we've come to expect from this line of games:
The slow, emotional vocals accompanying the trailer stand out, and the gameplay and scenery shots move at a similar pace. It's different from the way games are typically marketed these days, which often includes trying to grab people's attention as quickly as possible, and personally I find it to be a welcome change of pace. Perhaps it's indicative of a game studio that's been around a long time and still does things their own way.
Cyan's games have always featured 3D worlds that are visually impressive for their time, and Firmament looks to be no different in this way. The slightly strange environments and machines of uncertain function all create a cryptic impression that, for me, very much recalls the feeling of Myst. This new entry seems to emphasize clunky machinery and a steampunk-esque aesthetic, complete with some sort of metallic protective suit reminiscent of Bioshock.
It looks like the player wields a handheld beam-device to manipulate machinery in the environment and solve puzzles, but explicit details about the game's story and mechanics seem to be relatively sparse. You'll be exploring the mysteries of 3 distinct "Realms" that are apparently somehow connected or overlapping...
In reading and watching some of the material that has been released about Firmament, I watched the original Kickstarter pitch video, and it's interesting to compare these recent trailers with that footage from a few years ago. The graphics look much improved and very up-to-date, and there originally seemed to be more of an emphasis on playing the game in VR, which isn't particularly present in current marketing, even though the option is still available.
Firmament releases May 18th on Steam for PC, Mac and VR, and will later be released on PS4 and PS5.
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