"Proteus is a game about exploration and immersion in a dream-like island world where the soundtrack to your play is created by your surroundings. Presented and controlled like a classic first-person shooter, the primary means of interaction is simply your presence in the world. The procedurally generated islands are home to creatures natural and imagined, tranquil valleys and ruins with magical properties. Think Doom meets Brian Eno."
Developer: Ed Key and David Kanaga
Platform: PC, Mac and Linux (coming Spring 2013)
Price: $9.99 (Humble Store)(Steam)
Release Date: January 30, 2013
Videos:
Proteus Official Beta Trailer
Proteus (Official Launch Trailer)
Awards and Recognition:
"Indiecade 2011 - Winner: Audio" Los Angeles, 6 October, 2011
"A MAZE Indie Connect - Winner: "Most Amazing Game"" Berlin, 26-27 April, 2012
"Independent Games Festival 2012 - Finalist: Nuovo Award" San Franciso, 4 December, 2012
"GameCity 2012 - Shortlist, GameCity Prize" Nottingham, UK, 23-28 October, 2012
"MoMA - Selected for MoMA Studio's "Common Senses" exhibition" New York, 24 September - 19 November, 2012
"Lunarcade Shanghai 2011 - Official Selection" Shanghai, 2-4 December, 2011
Reviews:
Edge
With a defined beginning, four distinct seasonal environments and an affecting, surprising conclusion, there’s no question that Proteus is a game. But if there’s one concern, it’s whether this is an island that’s worth revisiting once you’ve seen all it has to offer. In a way, its lack of progression – the absence of skill trees, difficulty levels and save points – works in its favour; you won’t dive back in to mop up the last few achievements, or to climb leaderboards, but simply because you want to play Proteus. Because you want to open your eyes and be up to your waist in seawater, to walk to shore and wander through fields that sing. And that’s an itch only Proteus can scratch. [8]
Rock, Paper, Shotgun
I’m very aware that some will come to Proteus, wander around for a few minutes, and argue there’s nothing to do. Technically, sort of a bit, they’re not wrong. There’s no challenge, no overt goal, no secret to uncover, nor story to hear. Those people will think the above ludicrous twaddle. And that’s fair enough. But there will be the others who find their own connection to its world, and embrace the three quarters of an hour it takes to go from the beginning to the end. And I’d be astonished by anyone among them who doesn’t then play it again, and then again, and then demand someone else sit down and play it while they watch over their shoulder, and then play it again.
I come away from it feeling elated. And that makes Proteus feel very special to me. It’s such a pleasure knowing it will be the same for so many others.