Somewhere on the endangered species list, the first-person, puzzle-centric adventure should be named. Sure, they’re not quite as cute as a sea otter, as cuddly as a panda, but they’ve been similarly reduced to near extinction. Gone are the days when Myst reigned supreme and you couldn’t turn a corner without activating switches, pulling levers, and pounding your head on the wall a few times first. To some that’s a good thing, but for diehard puzzle fans, it’s a most unpleasant new reality in today’s adventure.

Sort of makes you want to cry out… Or at least, Outcry.

That’s right, there’s hope yet. Leave it to the independents to pick up the cause, and Phantomery Interactive’s Outcry is just such a game. The Russian developer’s debut adventure casts players in the role of an unnamed man who receives a disturbing letter from his brother, imploring him to come for a visit following several years of estrangement. Upon arrival, though, he discovers that his brother had recently become a recluse as he worked on a mysterious machine that he was determined to test on himself, and now he’s disappeared entirely. And so it’s up to the player to follow in his footsteps, investigating this incredible invention while activating switches, pulling levers, and pounding your head on the wall a few times along the way.

We wouldn’t be doing our part in the preservation of the puzzle adventure if we didn’t spread the word, and so we’re happy to offer free retail copies of the game to three lucky winners, courtesy of the The Adventure Company. But not just any slider-hugger is eligible, oh no. Throwing a monkey wrench into the works, first you’ll need to answer the three quiz questions below. That may sound tough, but if you plan to play Outcry, you’ll certainly need the mental warmup. Just be thankful that there’s not a lever in sight! Still, for anyone who’s truly stuck, all the answers you need can be found in our recent review of the game.

The contest will run for one week, ending Sunday, October 5th. Assuming we can activate all the right switches, winners will be randomly chosen and contacted by email the same day.

The original name of Outcry before its title change was:
Pathologic
Sublustrum
Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist

The machine built by the player character’s missing brother is designed to:
Turn things invisible
Slice, dice… and so much more. Call now for yours!
Separate the human body from its consciousness

The playable character is a:
Purple tentacle
Middle-aged writer
Young FBI agent

Your e-mail address:

Subscribe to the Adventure Gamers mailing list

Rules:
1. Only one entry per person, per contest. Multiple entries will be disqualified.
2. Staff members of Adventure Gamers are not eligible to enter.
3. You may enter this contest only if it is legal for you to do so in your place of residence.
4. If any prize is not claimed within a week (7 days) of the end of the contest, a new winner will be chosen at random.