Ira is a gorgeous, sci-fi point-&-click adventure game that follows the story of the titular Ira who, in his pursuit of a life beyond the brutality of the Martian mines, finds himself the sole survivor of a horrific interstellar accident.
The demo for Ira follows a young Ira as he grapples with his father’s impending departure and his mother’s declining health. The game is thus far very heavily driven by its cutscenes, which allows for some intense scenic painting and universe building. However, with its limited chances for meaningful player interaction, it’s hard to say if the classic adventure game puzzle will rear its ugly head or not. At least far as the demo is concerned, Ira’s creators seem to be less concerned with providing insight into the gameplay of the final product as they are with easing their players into the game’s alternate version of earth’s history. Developers promise an unconventional narrative for Ira, jumping between multiple timelines and delving into the lives of seemingly unconnected people. As you gradually uncover the truth behind the starship Holocene II and its mission, you will be confronted with some critical decisions, the results of which will ripple across the rest of your playthrough.
Ira keeps its environments uncluttered and its models simplistic, allowing you to focus on the very human story at Ira’s core. Perhaps most impressive is the cinematic, dream-like quality lent to the game’s camera work and scene transitions. All in all, Ira comes across as ethereal, serene, and ever so slightly unnerving, as if there is something sinister always waiting just out of sight. If you are looking for a point-&-click adventure game that draws inspiration from science-fiction titans like Philip K. Dick, Ira may just be the adventure game for you.
UPDATE: This Alpha is No Longer Available