Captive 3000 is an old-school dungeon crawler in the style of Dungeon Master, Eye of the Beholder, Black Crypt and Hired Guns, with a dystopian science-fiction setting.
It is especially inspired by the 1990 Amiga / Atari ST classic Captive, with tile-based movement, real-time combat, resource management, maze exploration, and handcrafted levels, rendered in a first-person perspective using traditional sprites (no 3D engines).
STORY
Condemned to 1000 years in cryosleep...
You wake on a forgotten moon orbiting an unfamiliar singularity…
Memory wiped... cryogenic chamber smashed….
Alien shadows haunt the abandoned station…
Main power failing, an emergency console flickers to life… the alarm repeats…
EARTH HAS FALLEN...
The terminal reaches out to a decommissioned Optimus Mark I on a distant planet…
A glimmer of hope?
Guide the ancient automaton through the vast expanse... find your lonely prison…
And stage your own rescue...
But your identity, the tale of your incarceration, and the fate of humanity…
... is yet unknown ...
DESIGN
The game features 13 handcrafted levels with multiple floors per level. These 13 Levels form Mission 01.
Illustrated story chapters are hidden across the levels. Each mural reveals a fragment of the truth.
Explore every corridor. Search every corner. The story is gradually revealed as your memory returns, and you discover your true identity and the fate of humanity,
The first few levels of Mission 01 are small and introduce players gradually to the game mechanics.
Each level is larger than the last, with the final levels being vast and complex, taking several hours each to complete.
Finishing the entire first mission of 13 levels involves more than 50 hours of exploration and combat.
After that, the system deterministically generates infinite new and unique missions (sets of of 13 levels) so you can continue playing Captive 3000 forever. Most players won't max out their stats by the end of Mission 01, so there is something new to discover in later missions. You can also go back and replay a completed mission or level any time.
GAMEPLAY
Other dungeon crawlers often impose sluggish, slow movement, but Captive 3000 is lightning fast. Shooting and stepping is instant. You'll need quick reactions to dodge enemy attacks and projectiles. Monsters get stronger and faster as the levels progress. It's usually best to attack enemies from behind or from the side, while they're turning, and then step out of range or behind cover, rather than trying to tank them.
Your early ranged and melee weapons are slow and weak, but soon you'll be zipping around the levels firing rapid lasers, ion pulse weapons, flamers and more. You'll need to watch your shield, health, and energy levels. Movement and action drain your droid's energy, and resource management is important.
You'll find power-ups hidden in cupboards, lying on the ground, or available to buy from merchants. You can also spend experience to gain new skills and abilities to suit your play style.
The game features some roguelite elements. To save your progress, you must find blockchain fragments, which are well hidden. One enemy is immortal, and must be avoided. He moves slowly but if you run into him while your shield is down, it means instant death. Certain tiles are safe, and you can trap him with skill, taking him out of action for the rest of the level, and adding a strategic element to the gameplay. The minimap and radar will help you track his location. Keeping your shield charged is a priority, and certain power-ups also keep him at bay.
Running out of energy is always a risk. Getting lost in a distant part of the base, far from a recharge station... do you press on, hoping to find a new one, or backtrack and hope to reach the prior one before your power runs out?
If a section seems difficult, you can often use ladders and pits to traverse above or below harder zones, emerging on the other side in a distant part of the level. Exploring interconnections between floors is an essential part of navigation.
CLOSING COMMENTS
The original 1990 Captive was my favorite childhood game. Created by Tony Crowther, inspired by Dungeon Master, and published by the now defunct Mindscape, it was decades ahead of its time, with infinite procedurally generated missions and a unique sci-fi setting. Captive 3000 continues what Tony Crowther started. I hope you enjoy it!
(Note: the game is pretty much finished. I'll be posting a trailer soon, then a demo, then full Steam release in Nov.)