Indie Games: 7 Days a Skeptic

More sequels should be in a completely different location to the original. Something about the shift from 5 Days a Stranger, set on Earth in the 1990s, to 7 Days a Skeptic, set in space in 2385, really got me. I mean, it just felt great. It did really well to set up the game and make the events from the first game feel like they had a lasting effect.

Sorry, that looks like it should come later on, but that was my initial reaction to the game.

7 Days a Skeptic is the second game in the Chzo Mythos, a series of adventure games by Ben “Yahtzee” Croshaw. It follows Dr. Jonathan Somerset, a counsellor on board the spaceship Mephistopheles, as he battles against the unseen force present in 5 Days a Stranger.

The story is told very well, Yahtzee’s writing still holding up. The plot really draws you in as you follow the story’s events. There is a stronger focus on horror in this instalment and several moments in the game are very chilling. This comes about from both the storytelling and some brilliant sound design. Some of the most chilling moments are when you leave the ship using the EVA suit, which cancels out all sound apart from Jonathan’s breathing (rather like 2001: A Space Odyssey).

The gameplay is very similar to the first game and is your basic point-and-click affair. However, during some parts of the game you have to run for your life as you are chased throughout the ship. These moments can be pretty irritating as you may not know what to do (especially at one notorious part of the game), though the ending chase sequence is exhilarating and admittedly heart-pounding.

There are a few issues I have with the game though that mostly comes from the writing. There are some horror movie irritations I had, such as characters splitting up when a killer is on board, as well as some questionable actions (“I need you on the ship, so I’ll let you get sucked into a vacuum!”) One moment that I found myself confused was when the escape pod took a day to function. Not a very good escape pod you’ve got there.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed the game and was honestly drawn in by the plot. It’s not as good its predecessor, but it’s a great sequel. Anyone who liked 5 Days a Stranger will hopefully enjoy 7 Days a Skeptic, though I would understand if they didn’t.