The Old City: Leviathan

Release Date: December 3, 2014

Adventure, FPP, indie games, experimental/artistic, exploration games, singleplayer

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Steam

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An independent adventure game focused on exploration and plot. The title, developed by American studio PostMod, takes the player to an abandoned city, where they are tasked with discovering the reasons why the place became desolated. During the journey the player is looking for answers to philosophical questions related to humans and the choices they make.

Plot
Mechanics
Technical aspects

The Old City: Leviathan for PC is an unusual, independent adventure game focused on philosophical themes. The game is a debut project of the American studio PostMod. The developers created an epistemological adventure focused on choices made by humans.

Plot

In The Old City: Leviathan for PC the player assumes the role of a lonesome man traveling through the desolated city many years before it was abandoned by the civilization that inhabited it. Neither the story nor the objective of this journey is known to the player. The mysteries of the titular city are discovered by exploring semi-open levels. However, during the journey the player must choose one of a few paths. These paths don’t intersect with each other. Because of that, in order to discover all secrets of the city, the game must be completed many times.

Mechanics

In The Old City for PC there are no weapons, items or character development trees. Only the protagonist and the city matters here. The choices made by the player impact the outcome of the story. The developers aren’t eager to call their production a “game” in the classic meaning of the word. Instead, they consider the medium as the best way for sharing a deeper message with the user. Contrary to modern, high-budget games that are focused on providing entertainment, The Old City is meant to teach the player something deeper. Exploration of the city and interactions with objects are the less important – merely the means to push the story forward.

Technical aspects

The developers from SoftMod provided visuals and sounds that are adequate to the story. The graphics are powered by Unreal Development Kit and they are of high quality. The atmospheric visuals are filled with foggy locations and extraordinary light and shadow play that greatly fit the specifics of an abandoned city. During the game the player is accompanied by a dark-ambient music composed by Swedish artist Atrium Carceri.

Last updated on October 16, 2017

Videos and Screens

[2:00] The Old City: Leviathan launch trailer

[1:23] The Old City: Leviathan trailer

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