The Occupation

The Occupation is a single-player[1] video game developed by White Paper Games and released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One,[2] and Microsoft Windows on 5 March 2019.[3][4][5][6] The game takes place in a single government building, in real-time over four hours. The game advances with or without input from the player, but almost all in-game actions can affect the game's story.[7]

The Occupation
Developer(s)White Paper Games
Publisher(s)Humble Bundle
EngineUnreal Engine 4
Platform(s)PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
Release5 March 2019
Genre(s)Stealth
Mode(s)Single-player[1]

The game is set in late 1987 within the same universe as White Paper Games' first title Ether One.[8]

Gameplay

The game does not have a health bar or energy system, when the game needs to punish the player it does so by using up the player's time, for example if a player is caught doing something they should not, they are taken to a security office and lose 15 minutes of game time, which shortens the time available to achieve the main aim of the game, obtaining knowledge.[9]

Plot

Prior to the start of the game; a terrorist attack has killed 23 people and led the British Government to create The Union Act, a "controversial act which threatens the civil liberties of the British population."

The game's plot starts at 3:27 PM on 24 October 1987.[10] The player character is a journalist that is researching The Union Act, players have freedom of choice on how to act; become a whistle blowing journalist fighting against the act, or do nothing as the game progresses on its own.[7]

Development

The game was developed on Unreal 4[11] and uses dynamic artificial intelligence, which combines scripted activities for the in-game characters, along with deviations to their normal routine based on their in-game requirements or interactions.[12] The developers illustrated this by explaining the actions of a character called Dan, a Scottish Muslim who is a "towering bald man who screams security", he breaks his usual desk based routine, because of his need to pray at certain times, creating a circumstance that the player can take advantage of should they wish.[8]

Reception

Awards

The game was nominated for "Best Use of Game Engine" at the Develop:Star Awards.[13]

References
  1. "Access • The Occupation". GamesTM. No. 197. Future plc. February 2018. pp. 20–21. ISSN 1478-5889.
  2. Withington, Emma (5 October 2017). "The Occupation – hands-on with the PS4 whistle-blowing adventure". PSU.com. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  3. Romano, Sal (16 January 2019). "The Occupation delayed to March 5". Gematsu. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  4. Humble Bundle (5 March 2019). "The Occupation on Humble Bundle".
  5. GOG (5 March 2019). "The Occupation release announcement on GOG".
  6. Steam (5 March 2019). "The Occupation on Steam".
  7. Priestman, Chris (7 May 2017). "The Occupation and the perils of politics in games". Eurogamer. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  8. Donnelly, Joe (28 April 2017). "The Occupation is a politically-charged thriller that pits you against the clock". PC Gamer. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  9. "Hype • The Occupation". Edge. No. 317. Future plc. 27 February 2018. pp. 42–43. ISSN 1350-1593.
  10. Wolstenholme, Dan J. "The Occupation". occupation-game.com. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  11. Peel, Jeremy (2 October 2017). "Making it in Unreal: how BioShock Infinite's Elizabeth helped The Occupation". PCGamesN. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  12. McAloon, Alissa (24 May 2017). "Balancing unpredictability and order is key for dynamic AI, says The Occupation dev". Gamasutra. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  13. Blake, Vikki (16 May 2019). "Shortlist for Develop:Star Awards 2019 revealed". MCV. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
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