Still There is a dark, pensive game starring a space lighthouse keeper, out this year

Space adventure Still There, which is out this autumn/fall, plans a tricky balancing act: it's a game that wants you to confront depression, isolation and grief, but it also wants you to enjoy its dark sense of humor and eccentric AI companion, Gorky. I'm excited to see how it fares, and I like the look of its various old-school dials, joysticks and panels you'll be fiddling with to maintain the Bento Space Lighthouse, of which you're in charge.

Managing the station is a menial job, and you'll cycle through various interfaces to complete your daily tasks, not least making coffee and emptying your bladder on schedule. But you're also investigating a strange radio message that prompts you to "evade the past and welcome oblivion", all the while dealing with your own inner struggle.

The trailer, at the top of this story, plays a message from what I presume is a loved one back on Earth, and it looks like separation from your family will be the main source of your grief. 

I'm looking forward to getting my hands on its UIs and minigames, and if it manages to weave an emotional story into all the poking and prodding at space stuff, it could be one to watch. Developer GhostShark previously made Blockstorm, a Minecraft-FPS hybrid that Shaun described as "quite decent".

The Steam page is here.

Thanks, RPS.