Quarantine Circular Is a Sequel to Bithell’s Last Game, Subsurface Circular
The developer of Thomas Was Alone, Mike Bithell, has simultaneously announced and released a new game on Steam called Quarantine Circular. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the sequel to his last game, Subsurface Circular.
Just like Subsurface Circular, Quarantine Circular is a sci-fi text adventure visual novel that is meant to be played in a single sitting. Bithell has been experimenting with shorter, story-driven games as of late, and as such, has priced Quarantine Circular at only $4.79 USD.
Below is the synopsis:
“A group of scientists interrogate an alien discovered at the heart of a global pandemic. Work with your team, make decisions and uncover the alien’s true intentions. Inspired by classic adventure games and modern dialogue systems, Bithell Games has created another single session story which respects your time and your intelligence.”
What makes this game different than its predecessor is that it includes multiples endings and multiple active characters. Subsurface Circular allowed some breathing room when it came to dialogue choices but it always led to the same place. In Quarantine, choices can affect the narrative and even who is present in the game’s final moments.
Don’t worry if you haven’t played Subsurface Circular yet. According to its Steam page FAQ, Quarantine Circular tells its own self-contained story set in the same world.
Here’s what we said about Subsurface Circular in our review for Nintendo Switch version:
“Mike Bithell isn’t wrong in calling Subsurface Circular a video game short, but that doesn’t mean you won’t get any enjoyment out of it. It’s a deeply engrossing text-based adventure with a rich narrative, amazing dialogue, and a story that continually gets better and better. It’s beautifully crafted and should be praised for its taut storytelling, which only proves that video games — just like films, tv shows, and books — are capable of telling incredible and impactful stories.”
Will you be playing Quarantine Circular? Let us know in the comments below.