In videogames, you - the player - are always on the outside, looking in. You're using an input device to make things happen on the screen. Code 7, a fully voiced text adventure, puts your player character in exactly the same position, mirroring your own experience. It's a somewhat strange setup which only ever works in this very medium. Fascinating!

But I digress. In Code 7, you're playing as one member of a team investigating the radio silence on a space station. After what seems like a crash landing, you're separated from your partner Sam. The only means of interacting with her and the station is via computer terminal. Using the terminal, you have to help Sam navigate the station and uncover what happened in the process.

Instead of taking part in the action, you're presented with a MS-DOS-like interface you need to operate in order to advance the story. Hack your way into systems, access logs, open doors and be Sam's eyes and ears - all by typing commands into your computer. It's all very well done and not cumbersome at all, as there is a handy auto-complete function for most commands and the parser is generally not too obstinate.
Code 7's presentation is pretty slick as well, featuring full voice acting and a neat, glitchy interface. I cannot vouch for the story, but from what I've played so far it's probably going to be very interesting, and there are even multiple endings for you to unlock. The first of six episodes is already out and playable for free, t...