Game: Electric Highways (2016)

Developer: ZykovEddy, Xitilon (Composer)

Publisher: Siberian Digital

Platform Played: PC

Price Played: It is free to play on Steam

AUTHOR’S NOTE: NO IMAGES ARE MY OWN!!!

Background: I am no stranger to the EDuke32 engine and its wonders. If you are unfamiliar with the AMC TC and Imagination World  you need to check these games out ASAP. A good friend of mine recommended this game to me a long time ago, and I’m happy to say I’ve finally played it. I would call Electric Highways, a FPE, a first person explorer.

There is no combat, you only play as a an engineer testing out his virtual reality simulation, and this is where the fun begins.

Level Design & Music: The levels range from bright cityscapes, to dark dungeon-like corridors. You’ll find a lot of enjoyment meandering through these passageways and chambers. Some levels resemble those in Dark Forces or Duke Nukem 3D. And others resemble those from more avant garde indie games.

The music is magnificent in this game. It adds to the wonder of this gem that is free to play. The composer, Xitilon made an incredible soundtrack resembling music that could have been penned by Jan Hammer. In some places it reminded me of the tracks from SWAT 3, but it was much better. The music fits like a glove in various stages through the game and this is what gives this Gibsonian adventure its atmosphere.

Gibsonian: I keep using that adjective you have noticed. I used that in the title and I used that several times in the text. William Gibson is a science-fiction author. He created the genre we know now as Cyberpunk with his work entitled Neuromancer. 

The player is playing as an engineer enjoying his simulation, his electric highway in cyberspace, and this is something quite familiar to fans of Gibson’s seminal work: Neuromancer. Gibson is the author who coined the term cyberspace. I strongly recommend you check out his work and Electric Highways.

Final Analysis: If you are looking for a fun, immersive single-player experience which is about exploration not combat, you’ll love Electric Highways. Get it on Steam now. Here is a gameplay video to convince you it is worthwhile playing.