Empyrean

What it is

Empyrean is a text-based interactive novel by Choice of Games, set in a city of towering buildings, laborers and experimental aircraft. The player takes control of the Empyrean, a fighter plane powered by Deep Tech, and makes choices that shape the story of a conflict involving the player’s father’s regime, a revolution and forces below the city. The novel is 325,000 words and has no graphics or sound effects. Its setting combines dieselpunk air battles with a mysterious mechanical ecosystem of living creatures and plants. Players can choose to play as a man, woman or nonbinary character and can romance men or women. Other story elements include concealing one’s identity, dealing with oligarchs and spies, and befriending Wesh, a figure who is both human and machine. Released December 1, 2016, Empyrean is a single-player adventure, indie and RPG title for Windows, macOS and Linux, with achievements, captions and Steam Cloud listed.

What players like, and what they don't

Who it suits

It suits readers who enjoy long, choice-driven fiction with political conflict, aircraft and a strange mechanical world. Its text-only format and stated lack of graphics or sound effects will be important for prospective players.

Empyrean is a substantial text-first story built around choices, identity and a conflict in the skies and beneath the city. It is suited to readers who want narrative decisions rather than audiovisual action.