Cloud Chamber is an indie adventure MMO coming from development studio Investigate North which largely seeks to break the mold of what is typically considered traditional gameplay and storytelling. In Cloud Chamber, you navigate through a virtual dataworld housing fragments of information which piece together to unravel the mystery of young scientist Kathleen Petersen. She risked everything to find the truth of the Cloud Chamber and save humanity from itself. Now the only remaining evidence is the information found on the database being explored. It’s a player driven game where individual enjoyment will stem from how invested you allow yourself to get.
Players will navigate more than 150 story fragments spanning 10 different levels in Cloud Chamber, each containing different clues ranging from videos, photos, documents, maps or transcripts. It’s a non-linear means of progression which allows a player to create a unique experience and reach a conclusion all their own. Of course, being an MMO, you won’t be solving the mystery on your own. Each bit of evidence is attached to a discussion board where players can discuss their theories and the significance of various details. Good theories get upvoted while unfavorable ones get downvoted. Presenting a supported theory will grant you access to even more data to help you along.
MMO ATK’s Zac Pickle enjoyed Cloud Chamber, questioning, “Is it a video game? A movie? A work of art? … Can it be all those things?” He continued by calling Cloud Chamber quirky in it’s premise and presentation, yet “it’s fairly easy to become absolutely engrossed in the game and all it has to offer.” Solid acting and and a shockingly engrossing narrative pull the player in and compels them forward. While he found the game a little too self-indulgent in its break from traditional gameplay at times, he overall thought the experience was well worth his time. Gamers interested in a unique, player-driven mystery MMO game can find more information on Cloud Chamber’s main website or through Steam.