One of the great things about the mobile platform is it’s a perfect place to experiment with new ideas. Simogo is the first name that comes to mind when I think about who is pushing the boundaries of interactive storytelling using the strength of mobile devices. Today, a new game is making waves for its similarly unique way of telling a story, and that game is Mayday! Deep Space ($2.99) by Daniel Wilson, renowned author of tons of robot-themed literature including the New York Times bestseller Robopocalypse.
The premise of Mayday! is built around a classic horror and thriller movie trope. You receive a distress signal on your radio from someone who is stranded in a sticky situation. Your radio is equipped with a radar so you’re in a position to see everything going on around the survivor, and it’s your job to talk them through the situation and guide them to safety. If you’ve played Republique (Free), it’s a very similar type of premise.
The standout feature in Mayday! is that you play the entire game using the voice recognition built into iOS. You’ll hold down a button and give actual voice commands to the survivor as if you were really talking together on a radio, and as much as that sounds like just some huge gimmick, it works incredibly well and adds a crazy layer of immersion to the game. If you’ve had trouble with Apple’s voice recognition working for you in the past or you simply aren’t into talking to your device, you can swipe the “talk" button over to reveal traditional movement controls at any time. If you’re able to though, I definitely recommend playing using your voice. It’s really amazing.
Mayday! Deep Space isn’t an terribly long adventure, and you should be able to guide the survivor through the game’s five levels in a couple of hours. However, there are tons of easter eggs hidden throughout the ship that your survivor friend is stranded on, giving you plenty of reason to spend some extra time exploring. There’s also four different endings to discover which are based on the decisions you make while playing, meaning you’ll probably want to play through this bad boy multiple times to experience every twist and turn. I know I will be.
I’m still making my way through my first playthrough, but I’m enjoying Mayday! Deep Space so much I just had to stop and tell you about it. The experience is incredibly tense as you have this poor fellow’s life in your hands and you try not to guide him into danger. The story is also full of intrigue and the voice acting is some of the best I’ve ever heard for a mobile game. Folks in our forums are also enjoying this one a ton, so if you’re in the market for a unique adventure give Mayday! a look.
