True Legacy

True Legacy is a text-driven puzzle adventure game.

Category	Price	Seller	Device
Games	$2.99	Blindfire Limited	iPhone, iPad, iPod

Investigate a politically sensitive murder in a dystopian, 21st century metropolis, riven by rampant economic and genetic inequality. Both your ethics, and puzzle solving skills will be tested in this sci-fi noir thriller.

Taking the role of investigator Claire Thornhill, players navigate the world of True Legacy via interactive text, immersive 3D scenes and forensic puzzle gameplay. The branching narrative pushes you to express your ethics in a harsh world transformed by unregulated technological advances.

Developed in partnership with Failbetter Games and the Wellcome Trust, True Legacy is a plausible glimpse into the future. Researched with the help of various UK universities and experts working at the cutting edge of robotics, AI, and genetics, the noir thriller plot presents the player with very realistic dilemmas around the ethics of labour market automation, population surveillance and genetic engineering.

Features:
Over 40,000 words of science fiction narrative by writer Dr Dejan Levi
Over 35 animated, layered illustrated scenes by french concept artist Ronan LeFur
Mini-puzzles, inspired by criminal forensics
Branching interactive story, with consequential decisions and multiple endings

Reviews

Doesn’t save progress
textomb

I was having fun with this, but when I left and returned to it all my progress was gone, it started me over from the beginning, and that’s a bummer. There doesn’t appear to be any continue function. If this gets fixed, I’ll likely amend this review, because the story was interesting, although more like a novel than a game.

Haunting, and bursting with intelligence
Dubs1

First and foremost, this is definitely more for those who like to read a really well thought-out story. It’s an interactive novella in the likes of ‘device 6’, though more heavy dialogue driven to be sure; but also a very cold, dystopia, noir filled story that builds with a slow burn that pulls you in, then keeps you glued to the screen with its intelligent story turns and tense atmosphere. And this is just from the writing standpoint. It definitely homages blade runner and 1984 to name a few, but still manages to have its own identity; the dystopian future the writers created actually seems very plausible - which really made the experience that much more real for me. As there is also great sound design as you scroll through the story that helped build and create the world inside your head. Not to mention an unbelievably great synth laden soundtrack...but the devs know when to keep parts silent and other parts with music/sound effects filtered in the background. Along with this is some really nice artwork that is scattered through the chapters that shows falling rain or rustling leaves. It’s a very nice touch and always welcome to see as you progress through the story. The devs also added a few puzzles (some of which are actually challenging), which I must admit my only negative towards the game is I wish they would have added a few more puzzles; but in the end, this is about the story - it’s NOT a puzzle game. But you do have branching story paths which beckon for replays (I can’t wait to dive back in to see the other outcomes/endings), as the choices you have to make get really tough at times (especially at the end). So if you like text/story/choice based games, then this is a must. I’m not even a huge fan of text games myself, but I loved every about the world they created. The ending I got wasn’t pandering, and leaves you with a lot to think/talk about. It’s a really good game to discuss afterwards with others.

Fine
SamsunRo

Some parts are very gripping, but the app is so text-driven that it comes to the point where I feel Im being interrupted by rather tedious puzzles (a brute-force slider?) when Im entering a climax and I want the story to unfold. Its like a DJ never dropping the beat but leaving us waiting for the drop for 30 minutes straight. No, thanks. The aesthetic is right up my alley — dystopian future in a mega-city, dark palette, etc., but it was hard to get through this as an enjoyable experience without wanting to throw my ipad at the wall through pure frustration at being cut off from the story by the puzzles or falling asleep from the passages themselves. Maybe it’s just me.

App crashes on chapter 2
kapek87

Please fix.

Should work but . . .
GraceOM

I have tried this on an iPad and on an iPad mini 4. It only progresses so far and then freezes. From the description it should work just fine. But it doesn't. I emailed the developers and never heard anything. Update 5 weeks and no words from developer.