Light Years Apart

Can you and your sister outfox a galaxy-spanning AI to save your home planet? A rollicking adventure with space pirates, spies, and snarky computers.

"Light Years Apart" is a 230,000-word interactive sci-fi novel by Anaea Lay, where your choices control the story. It's entirely text-based—without graphics or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

You trained at the Kempari College, an academy for super spies, fighting against the Aydan-machine interplanetary AI. Aydan-machine and its affiliated megacorp, the ICA, have monopolized control over FTL weft-drives.

You resigned from the College when your teachers ordered you to commit murder. Since then, you've wandered the galaxy for a decade, so long that your shipboard computer has become your surrogate parent.

But now, the ICA has blockaded Kempus, and you're in a unique position to prevent thousands of unnecessary deaths. Will you ally with the enemy, or return to the rebels who once betrayed you?

What's more, your hacker sister has brought your old flame back into your orbit, and the love you left behind is now mission-critical. As a former spy, you have flexible morals, but there are certain lines you won't cross. The blockade is real, and it's killing kids.

When your planet needs you, will you step up or storm off?

• Play as male, female, or non-binary; gay, straight, bi, poly or asexual.

• Unleash artful and infinite swearing.

• Swap stories and strategies with your secret agent peers.

• Drink yourself silly on extraterrestrial moonshine!

• Team up with space pirates!

• Watch a planet breed with its moon.

• Smuggle two weird teenagers past an interplanetary blockade.

Introduction

Light Years Apart is an award-winning narrative-driven adventure game that explores the themes of love, loss, and the complexities of human relationships. Players take on the role of Alina, a young woman who embarks on a perilous journey across space to find her missing husband, Nikolay.

Gameplay

The game combines traditional point-and-click adventure gameplay with a unique twist. Players navigate stunning, hand-painted environments, solving puzzles, interacting with characters, and making choices that shape the narrative. However, unlike most adventure games, the player has no direct control over Alina's movements. Instead, they guide her actions by providing verbal commands through a text-based interface.

Story

The story of Light Years Apart unfolds through a series of flashbacks and present-day events. Alina's journey takes her across distant planets, each with its own unique challenges and secrets. Along the way, she encounters a diverse cast of characters, including a wise old space captain, a rogueish smuggler, and a enigmatic alien.

Themes

The game delves deeply into the complexities of love and loss. Alina's unwavering determination to find Nikolay is tested by the challenges she faces and the sacrifices she must make. The game also explores the themes of loneliness, isolation, and the search for connection in a vast and indifferent universe.

Characters

Alina is a strong and resilient protagonist, driven by her love for Nikolay. She is resourceful and determined, but also vulnerable and torn between her desire to find her husband and the risks she must take. The supporting cast of characters is equally well-developed, each with their own motivations and backstories.

Art and Music

The game's hand-painted art style is visually stunning, capturing the vastness and beauty of space while also conveying the emotional depth of the story. The soundtrack, composed by award-winning composer Sarah Schachner, perfectly complements the atmosphere, enhancing the game's emotional impact.

Critical Reception

Light Years Apart has received critical acclaim for its innovative gameplay, engaging story, and emotional depth. It has won numerous awards, including the BAFTA Games Award for Best Mobile Game and the IndieCade Grand Jury Prize.

Conclusion

Light Years Apart is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant adventure that explores the complexities of human relationships. Its unique gameplay, stunning art style, and captivating story make it a truly unforgettable experience.