Causal Loop gets rolling for upcoming release on Steam

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Sci-fi 3D time-manipulation puzzler by ex-Blizzard veterans unveiled for Windows PC

If you've ever had so much to do that you'd need several of you to get it all done, then you'll finally get your chance in Mirebound Interactive's upcoming sci-fi time-manipulation puzzler, Causal Loop.

Bale, an exo-archaeologist, and Jen, an exo-linguist, arrive on the planet of Tor Ulsat in order to "study the ruins of the lost Tor civilization." But when Bale accidentally activates an ancient device called the Chronolith, he inadvertently causes reality itself to shatter. Instantly "Jen vanishes, and Bale is trapped in a fractured world where time loops and echoes of the past and future bleed together." Unable to contact mission control, Bale's only companion is Walter, an AI integrated into his spacesuit who helps him to "navigate countless obstacles, unravel the fate of the Tor, and outwit the cryptic and mysterious forces that oppose him" before he's "lost to the loop forever." Fortunately, the very crisis Bale created may just be his salvation, as it allows players to "record, replay, and interact with up to three past versions of themselves." Success will depend on your ability to "harness these duplicates to ... tackle challenges involving teleporters, force fields, terminals, and more" that would otherwise be impossible to overcome.

Created by an experienced team of ex-Blizzard veterans and powered by Unreal Engine 5, Causal Loop is a free-roaming, first-person adventure that sends players through a variety of eye-popping locations, from arid deserts to icy trenches to imposing alien structures. Inspired by environmental puzzle games like Portal and The Talos Principle, as well as narratively complex films like Interstellar, the main focus of the experience is on strategically utilizing your three "echoes" to overcome obstacles. However, it also promises to blend its "mind-bending mechanics with a rich sci-fi story about time, consequence, and survival." 

As you progress through fifteen "hand-crafted chapters filled with secrets," which project to take about ten hours to complete, you'll gradually uncover an "emotional and thought-provoking story ... filled with mysteries, betrayal, and twists." While the planet seems largely devoid of life, players will encounter other fully voiced characters along the way, such as "the mysterious Observer, who closely monitors their progress, and Omega, a rogue echo of Bale intent on thwarting their efforts." The developers are currently focused on Bane's exploits, but they are also considering Jen's and "how best to bring her role to life in a way that complements Bale's journey" as a second playable character with her own personality and unique abilities. 

There is no firm target release date just yet but Causal Loop will launch first on Steam for Windows PC, with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S ports to potentially follow later on.