After launching their first-person horror adventure title 3Tower into Early Access on Steam last week, developer Wechselbalg Studio has an extra treat for those fans of the classic Commodore 64 computer. The devs have released for free a C64 version of 3Tower, complete with its own set of challenges and gameplay mechanics.
Available via Wechselbalg Studio’s website, this release is more than just a retro port, according to the developers. Rather, it’s “a heartfelt tribute” to the enduring legacy of the Commodore 64.
“We believe that this iconic machine is not just a piece of computing history, but a living canvas for artistic expression,” says the team at Wechselbalg Studio. ” Supporting the C64 and releasing new games for it is our way of celebrating a platform that helped define an era of creativity and imagination. We are all fans of this groundbreaking computer. Games in their original form for the C64 are not only nostalgic—they’re cultural artifacts worth preserving.”
The C64 version of 3Tower captures the eerie charm of the original game while embracing the unique audiovisual flavor of the system. This version of 3Tower can be played with VICE 64 or other emulators, or if you so choose, you can boot it up on the original Commodore 64!
Meanwhile, Wechselbalg Studio is aiming to have the Steam version of 3Tower out of Early Access this December.
A mix of immersive storytelling and tense exploration that’s driven by “unpredictable, systemic terror,” 3Tower puts players in the boots of a night watchman tasked with a literal graveyard shift, overseeing a mysterious cemetery filled with restless spirits. The problematic dead are kept in check by three ancient towers. If the towers fail, all hell breaks loose.
You’ll need to endure a full 6-hour shift, during which you’ve got to maintain these towers, with each night bringing its own share of problems. As each tower operates on unstable technology, you’ve got to deal with blown fuses, power outages, flickering monitors, and so on. That unpredictable part of the description comes from the spirits, who respond dynamically with no scripted hauntings.
Writer, Artist, Gamer from the Great White North. I try not to be boring.
