14 DAY TRIAL // The robot investigator, sporting a classic-looking trench coat, isn’t very happy to be talking to the robot press. I might be just an intern but it’s pretty clear he’s giving as little information as possible while trying to steer me away from some of my big questions.
There were other witnesses to the crash but none has a clear idea of what happened. So I talk to the photographer I’m working with and then take a look at the destroyed shuttle myself, noticing some discrepancies. A few other characters are hanging around and I plan to talk to all of them and see what weirdness might pop up.
Everyone’s surprised to engage with a robot reporter but they do offer a few hints that I might be missing a bigger story. Sure, a police chase with a shuttle that ends in a crash is exciting enough and will draw readers in. But I plan to spend a few extra minutes exploring this scene, finding another angle before I finally file my first story and return to the orbiting newspaper ship.
Times & Galaxy is developed by Copychaser Games and published by Fellow Traveller. I played a preview using Steam on the PC. The full experience currently has a 2024 launch date. The title is a science fiction journalism simulator with a focus on conversations and exploration.
In this version of the future, holographic newspapers are produced on spaceships that house a mix of humans, aliens, and mechanical beings. Players get the role of the first robot reporter and will travel to planets to investigate situations and then create their own stories.
The spaceship itself is filled with a variety of characters, ranging from the editor to the pilot to robots that are ready to give players upgrades. Once the robot leaves on assignment, he will meet many others, all ready to chat. The writing is good and there’s a lot of smart humor embedded in all conversations.
Other than talking to people, our robot protagonist can inspect objects and examine certain important landmarks. Some of them might offer clues about the deeper truth that a confident and capable reporter might uncover.
Times & Galaxy then asks players to generate an article based on what they have learned. Gamers can choose the headline and other elements and the way they write it will affect the newspaper’s reputation and how the editor interacts with our intrepid news hero.
The mechanics might be a little slight but I loved the title’s atmosphere and the general weirdness of this universe. I had a conversation with the sports reporter about a fake sport that was delightful in its enthusiasm. I hope that the full game can maintain the tone while delivering cool journalistic mysteries to uncover.
Times & Galaxy’s presentation is suitably futuristic but with a retro touch. It works well with the idea that newspapers, even if they are in holographic form, will still be relevant hundreds of years from now. The design of all characters I met is filled with details. The soundtrack is jovial. Everything about the presentation just works.
Conclusion
I really like the idea of filing a story based on what you learn about a situation. And I hope that the full game offers a lot of variety both when it comes to assignments and tone for the resulting article. Times & Galaxy is clearly created by a team that loves journalism and manages to translate it into fun mechanics.
A preview key was provided by the publisher
