The Message from Deep Space
Our verdict
9/10
- Difficulty: Hard
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 30+ h
The Message from Deep Space is a translation puzzle game from Applesinmypants, set in 1973 after a meteorite starts broadcasting radio signals at Earth. As the mission's Translator you decode an alien language from scratch, starting with numbers and physical constants, keeping your own dictionary and composing replies by frequency on a retro computer. It suits patient solo players who enjoy maths, science and language puzzles, and fans of Chants of Sennaar or stories like Arrival.
Players rate it Overwhelmingly Positive, with about 97 percent of over 1,400 reviews in favour. Reviewers describe the eureka moments when a new symbol clicks, the way each message builds on the last, and a team of scientists whose hints and banter make the ending land emotionally. Many say they cried at the end.
It is long and hard. Most players report 30 hours or more, several admit using forum hints, and a vocal minority found the middle stretch tedious, repetitive or too rigid about how answers must be written. One critic noted a shift from maths to pure linguistics in the second act. If the premise excites you, it is excellent value; if you dislike algebra and physics, try the demo first.
Pros
- Decode an alien language from numbers up, with your own dictionary
- Each message builds on earlier ones for real eureka moments
- Scientist team gives in-world hints and an ending many found moving
Cons
- Very long; some reviewers found the middle acts repetitive
- Needs real comfort with maths and physics
- Some answers must match a strict format, which frustrated players
About
Premise
The Message from Deep Space is an odyssey of puzzles. Take the role of the mission's Translator, working alongside a scrappy band of scientists, and venture headfirst into the world of deciphering an alien language --- completely from the ground up.
Scenario
Set in 1973, Earth is the recipient of a meteorite that broadcasts radio waves. In the role of the mission's Translator, the player is responsible for designing responses to the meteorite's transmissions, which, if correct, will elicit new messages from the meteorite. Only through this radio wave dialogue will patterns, words, syntax, and meaning all take form, leaving but one question:
What is it the aliens want to say?
Features
Translate an alien language
Learn about an alien civilization
Interface with a retro computer
Manage a user-driven dictionary
Design radio transmissions by frequency
Collaborate with scientists that respond to your actions
+1000 in-game dialogues
+30 minutes OST
+30 hours of gameplay
Voyager I
Inspired by The Golden Record aboard the Voyager I space probe, The Message from Deep Space takes a realistic approach to deciphering an interstellar message. Beginning with the limited universal constants available to technologically advanced civilizations, the message spans a range of real-world fields of math & science. Decoding the message is tough, but with the support of the game's meticulous linguist, the single-minded computer programmer, and the affable astronomer, it is a challenge fit for anyone with Curiosity and Perseverance.
