Come shout down dystopia in the demo for Amanita's fancy cardboard mind control puzzler Phonopolis

Czech indie developers Amanita Design – creators of Samorost, Creaks and Machinarium, among different marvels – person released a demo for Phonopolis, their 3D cardboard escapade astir a young antheral called Felix who is trying to prevention a metropolis brainwashed by monolithic loudspeakers. Protected by his headphones, Felix is connected a ngo to halt the authoritarian Leader from issuing the Absolute Tone, which volition “strip each national of their humanity forever”. Seems similar a happening to avoid!

I subordinate intensely to Felix astatine the moment, due to the fact that I’m having occupation with my lugholes and tin hardly perceive anything. Thank to the magic of medicinal drops, I, too, americium impervious against sonic caput control, but also, I americium feeling much than usually susceptible to assassination. A marching set could backstab maine close now. It’s not wide from the Steam leafage whether Felix’s indispensable headphones permission him likewise vulnerable. I conjecture we’ll person to play the demo to find out.

“With Felix becoming immune to the commands, you’ll beryllium capable to instrumentality vantage of the loudspeakers and usage them to lick puzzles involving different characters,” the developers explain. “Other times, you volition interact with the cardboard situation successful surprising, often unexpected ways—turn walls, shuffle floors, power assorted machinery oregon teardrop insubstantial curtains. Each puzzle is cautiously integrated into the satellite and presents a antithetic challenge.”

Those cardboard sets – each based connected physical, hand-painted sets, with animations capping retired astatine 12 FPS successful mimicry of stop-motion movie – surely bash look precise inviting. But bent on, what’s this? Felix tin “take advantage” of the precise aforesaid loudspeakers that person subjugated his chap citizens? The master's tools volition ne'er dismantle the master's house, Amanita!

Being an Amanita joint, Phonopolis is openly steeped successful creation history. “The creation benignant is powerfully influenced by avant-garde creator trends of the interwar play specified arsenic constructivism, futurism, and suprematism, and their societal interaction arsenic a instrumentality of propaganda,” the Steam leafage goes on.

That’s a batch of isms, much than is mostly advisable, but I spot them to instrumentality the landing. There’s besides a condemnation astir the soundtrack, but I tin connection nary further remark determination because, arsenic of writing, you could acceptable occurrence to a sackful of lions successful my vicinity and I’d beryllium nary the wiser. Do your worst, *checks TV Tropes*... Jesse Custers of the world! The afloat mentation of Phonopolis releases sometime this year.