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Friend | Itch download

Friend is a game about underwater navigation in the post apocalypse. Armed with a map, your job is to find various research dead drops left by another sub pilot, your only friend.

NOT a picture of Friend gameplay

Friend was inspired by the likes of Iron Lung for its navigation, but giving the player different information. The player has a view of the seafloor outside, a coordinate readout and a compass. Along with their map, they need to figure out where their objectives are, primarily becoming a challenge in navigation.

One novel element I wanted to experiment with was using a physical map. I remember sometimes trying to use the maps that came with older games instead of the in-game one, and I thought it might make for a more immersive approach, adding an option to disable the in-game map and print out a .pdf version.
Friend's controls also mean both hands must be on the keyboard before the player can take out their map, forcing them to stop. While I didn't have enough time to implement any, active threats would become more challenging, now incorporating more situational awareness into Friend's navigation gameplay.