If you had the ability to transfer your conscience into an AI, would you do it? Would you trust that everything you have worked for, lived for, and loved for would truly be safe? Do you think that the decisions you make would have a positive effect on the world as you know it? Or would it be possible that the decision you make would continue on a destructive path you were hoping to avoid? It really is interesting when you think about the possibilities of the future and science. But does developer Cream and B Curious Productions show us the idea of what is possible future could truly be like? Let’s find out with Dark Threads for PCVR.
Dark Threads is an interactive VR science-fiction experience in which you play as an inventor who attempts to transfer his consciousness into the benevolent AI you’ve created to save mankind from a future nightmare. Every potential clue may lead closer to the truth or further down the rabbit hole. So before jumping to see if the truth is out there, there are just a few things you will want to do. First, Dark Threads can be played standing or seated. So, if you decide you want to sit, make sure you find your favorite chair, but be warned you will be a little low within the game. Second, open your mind to what if. And finally, I am not going to spoil anything for anyone. So just have some fun. With that said, let’s continue…
In Dark Threads, you play as Dominic Monaghan. Yes, the same actor from Lord of the Rings, Lost, and so many more. You are an inventor who is blurring the line between reality and Virtual Reality. You have found a way to transfer your conscience into the AI Rhea, played Kandyse McClure. Yes, the same actress who has been in Battlestar Galactica, Ghost Wars, and so many more. Dominic keeps transferring his conscience with something going wrong. When you first start out, you can hear Rhea speak about trying to convince you to stop as any other chance to warn you may be the last one and even warns that it is going to kill all of us. It’s at the very early stages that even Dominic is questioning what he has done that you realize that possibly you have been in this situation before as you are seeing notes that you left to yourself as warnings as you are experiencing some memory loss and you will need to interact with as many objects that you can to help regain your memory.
As you start to interact with different objects, you start to pick up clues. Objects can be as simple as a flashlight to things discussing neural link technology to even the things you have played a part in while the question of why starts to come up more than once. But it’s when you meet yourself that you start to learn more about yourself. But remember the notes that you left yourself as that can play in the decision that you make. Certain objects will show the possibilities of what could become the new reality all as a result of a path of survival.
But once you start to hear each side from yourself and Rhea starts to not only ask the question of why but to start to question can you even trust yourself? On one side, if the path continues, the world continues with a path of possible self-absorbance in one’s mind, as progression. But, if one embraces the technology, would that, in fact, give the AI more power? It really is about the self struggle with the right and the wrong through trial and error as it asks even more questions. Questions such as do you listen to yourself or did Rhea, the AI, actually learn from your own mistakes and have found a solution to what you have been working towards all this time?
Let’s talk about the graphics and sound. The graphics in Dark Threads are really good. I had my settings on high with no issues reading the words and even making out any of the objects. Entering the different atmospheres really opened up everything to even a bigger opening of the mind. Some may say that everything may be toned down and not AAA quality. This was not the point that was trying to be made here. This is science fiction and it delivered with the feel of entering the mind with the essence of consciousness, altruism, cruelty, and what could be the future. Seeing the hologram of yourself looked sci-fi crisp. Seeing light pierce through the dust and the clouds in one part of the game looks as if seeing one would see daylight for the first time. It really is quite poetic.
There are a few things I wish would be added. For one, more objects to interact with. Don’t get me wrong, there are quite a few objects to interact with, but I would just want to interact with everything to help regain my memory. Second, just more of this type of experience. After playing, I just wanted to explore more and more as I really did enjoy this sci-fi setting. And finally, more interaction between Dominic and Kandyse’s character. They have this chemistry that works well on screen and I really hope these two work together in the future.
Dark Threads brings sci-fi storytelling of what a possibility of the future could look like to VR. Sometimes we have a vision or have our mindset, that we can become so focused on if we could, but rather if we should. We may not see what others see even when our subconscious may be telling us otherwise. Sometimes all it takes is listening to the voice that needs to be heard in order to decide between what is right and what is wrong.
Dark Threads is out now on Steam. A review code was provided.
To learn more about Cream, please visit the site, like them on Facebook, follow them on Instagram, and subscribe to their YouTube channel. To learn more about B Curious Productions, please visit the site.
Also, check out the Dark Threads interview.
In case you missed the trailer, please enjoy. Until next time, I am going into the future.
