Fullbright, the studio behind Gone Home, launched Springs, Eternal on Steam today for $14.99. It’s a first-person story exploration game set at a mountain hot springs retreat.
According to the launch announcement, Serenity Forge, which published the game with Fullbright, put it on Steam with a 15% launch discount. Serenity Forge’s game page has more.
The story follows a man who arrives at Stillwater Springs, a secluded mountain hot springs retreat, with the memories of a past relationship following him. After dark, he relives time with that partner, but soon finds he isn’t the only lost soul looking for something there.
The retreat is full of guests. The release describes more than a dozen, including philosophers locked in a seemingly endless debate, a tattooist waiting to ink his future, and a silent monk. Each has their own reasons for being there, and their stories relate to his.
What he learns from one guest can unlock new conversations with another, bringing him closer to the truth about Stillwater Springs. As the map expands, players can uncover new locations and collect vinyl records to play along the way.
The game’s dithered, pixelated style evokes late-’90s PC and console games, and the atmospheric soundscape is paired with ambient music. Steam’s store page says the game takes around two to three hours to complete.
Fullbright is an independent developer based in Portland, Oregon, and it was founded in 2012. Gone Home won Best Debut at the BAFTA and Game Developers Choice Awards, and its follow-up, Tacoma, is a speculative fiction adventure set on an abandoned space station. Springs, Eternal is the third collaboration between Serenity Forge and Fullbright, after those two games.
A free demo has been on Steam since 7 October, and it was shown at PAX West, Tokyo Game Show and Steam Next Fest. The launch announcement puts the next step this way:
Anyone who got a first taste through the demo at PAX West, Tokyo Game Show or Steam Next Fest can now return for the full stay.
Serenity Forge, publisher
