One Late Night is a short immersive horror-game experience, released for free on Linux (32 and 64 bit), Mac and Windows. The basic idea of the game is to put the player in a situation similar to something the main character is in, as the scenario is just an office, with standard things (and an Android figurine).
Immersing the player into the surroundings is done very easily with a very familiar scenario, to the point where you (the player) become naturally engaged. Even if you can’t relate to the games storyline, you will still have an impressive experience.
As the only living character, an unnamed graphic designer employee, working late one night at the office until strange things start happening. Soon you will see strange messages on your computer screen and freaky things in your office, and not just paperwork.
Gameplay
The game starts with an iPhone displaying a short message, basically telling the main characters girlfriend Linda he will be home late (the sms shows that it has been sent at 23:59), and your character will call her later on the way to home.
After this, your character wakes up from a short nap and decides to go searching for some coffee. While moving he passes Robert’s office, a colleague that has not been at work for some time.
The storyline is presented with short monologues, displaying the thoughts of the player. As you perform certain tasks in order to proceed and discover new clues in the process, the story begins to explain what’s going on.
Use your surroundings to your advantage, hide under desks and in corners to avoid being taken by the ghost that haunts the office. Remember that the light will always be your friend. Survive the night and find as many clues as you can about the threat.
To save your progress in the game use the Linux terminal (nice!) on the computer and login with the username and password from the note. Type “save” and then press Enter to save your game progress.
Getting the game
The game can be downloaded from the official website as a zip file. After this you have to unzip/extract it, which will create a folder ~/OneLateNight_linux/Build10containing two binary files, OneLateNight.x86 (32 bit) and OneLateNight.x86_64 (64 bit). In order to run the game, change the binary permission to executable using a terminal window on your system with the following command:
cd /OneLateNight_linux/Build9
chmod +x OneLateNight.x86_64
And after that you can start the game with
./OneLateNight.x86_64
The game has a really simple initial menu, letting you choose the essential options (game quality, fullscreen, and various other graphical configurations). Start a New Game or Load an old game, but remember to Save using the terminal at the starting desk.
Conclusions
This is a great indie game, really well built with realistic details, objects and textures. But what makes it realistic is the furniture and equipment you see in the game, they are all familiar items in your office or home. The game is short, but it can be a nice alternative for a creepy night.
