The increasing chaos of real life seems to have created a conundrum for video game developers. After all, how does one create a digital adrenaline rush when reality is already careening toward an Orwellian dystopia, World War 3, and a murder-hornet-filled apocalypse???
Undoubtedly puzzled by the sheer madness that is 2020, the developers over at Bacronym and AMC are creating a game meant to check the chaos and remind us of a simpler time.
Launching by the end of this year, "Airplane Mode" will allow players the riveting experience of flying coach on two flights – one from New York to Halifax (2.5 hours), and one from New York to Iceland (6 hours). If you love games where you get to engage in aerial dogfights, parachute into a battlefield, or fly a plane through a hurricane, then this isn't the game for you. This experience is more suited for those who live to watch paint dry.
It's not this:
And it's not this:
But it's a lot like this:
Check out these action-packed trailers for the game:
Although the game was first announced last year, it has a new relevance in a time when travel is restricted. Simply watching the trailer invokes a sense of nostalgia. The "ping" of the plane's PA system... The soothing white noise of the air systems... The exhilaration of hearing that you'll be waiting on the tarmac for another 30 minutes before takeoff...
Here's a few things players can look forward to during their real-time flights:
"Grab a window seat, and stare in silence at the slowly passing clouds as you try to make time go faster through sheer force of will."
"Experience a more realistic depiction of how people really fly than even the most ambitious AAA flight simulations launching in 2020. For example, players can enjoy the myriad delights of their carry-on luggage, including a book, and a pen. And headphones!"
The game will feature all the adrenaline-packed moments of a real flight in coach, from screaming babies to spotty WiFi to rude passengers. To pass the time, players will be able to watch in-flight movies, complete crossword and Sudoku puzzles, read magazines, and check their phones. Players will even be treated to in-flight snacks and meals.
Move over Call of Duty, Fortnite, and Halo. The game of 2020 is here.
