Code provided with many thanks to Play CaffineWithdrawalGamesÂ
Before Digital, Before CDs
The simulator genre of games just seems to be open to endless possibilities these days. Just when I thought every type of simulator game existed, another developer pops up to surprise me. Though I will say no developer has yet to take on the impossible task of creating the Otter Simulator, no pressure chaps/chapettes!
Today we have Tape Recovery Simulator 96K, a game about trying to repair old cassette tapes just like the old days. The game is releasing to Early Access soon, but before then I’m here to share some early thoughts and info on the game, please enjoy.Â
Living the Life
When I first booted up this game I had a mini panic as it didn’t launch in the same way the vast majority of Steam games do. Instead of booting into a full screen mode and displaying the game in all its glory, this title pops up in multiple windows on your desktop. The most obvious graphic being the giant tape deck in the centre of the screen. After I realized my computer hadn’t been hijacked, my attention was drawn to a tab of e-mails which instructed me to run through the games tutorials. From there the game kinda walks you through the process of loading data off tapes, which includes fiddling with volume buttons, entering in short code to load an image, sending images via email and various other techniques.
It’s quite clear this is a game you will get more out of the more you experiment for yourself, discovering the tricks to data recovery. You will also be dealing with the frustration of data errors where the data just won’t load correctly. I have no experience of tape recovery myself, although I imagine this game kinda replicates the frustration pretty well of what it was like to work in this industry. How far we have come now. The game also has you dealing with emails from an overbearing boss which added a fun quirkiness to the experience.
Tape SoundsÂ
The entire game is controlled with a mouse and keyboard. You can load a tape and play with the buttons like fast forward and rewind. The game’s soundtrack also feels pretty authentic with the whirly sounds of a tape and the rather awful sounds when loading data. Sounds that take me back to dial up internet which I honestly don’t miss. Much like most simulator games Tape Deck Recovery looks to deliver the fun in a job that would otherwise be quite mundane. I enjoyed learning about tape recovery through the emails but I’m not sure this is for me. I can totally see it finding an audience though. If players can find fun in driving a lorry in a video game then why not in this?
What’s to Come
Being in Early Access you are able to buy the game now and watch the project develop at a reduced price. The developer appears to have quite the road map planned already for this project across an estimated development time of over two years. Features will include adding more data recovery tricks, mixtapes, multiple difficulties, mini games and many more features. If you decide to support the game now the developer will also allow you to vote on future features in the game. Bugs are to be expected at this stage but are intended to be ironed out over time.
If this all sounds exciting for you then why not give it a whirl and take yourself back to the good old days of the cassette tape.Â
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