Fox should not pilot heavy machinery.

Not since 1972 has Man set foot on the moons dusty surface. In the year 2030, following an energy crisis on Earth, Man ventured back and found a solution to all our problems. Now, it is the year 2059. Communication with the World Space Agency base located on the moon has ceased, and with it the energy supply we were receiving through the revolutionary Stream tech method. As the only trained astronaut of age left on Earth, it looks like it’s up to us to head up to the moon and figure out what has happened. The Moons silence is terrifying, hinting that some dark fate has met the colonists living there, and even more worrisome is the looming threat of the end of the world if we don’t get the power back on again. Let’s head to the Moon!

With that very low pressure no stress mission parameter of “Don’t fuck up!” in our heads, we are ready to take our first step on this journey that will end in either global recognition as a hero, or dying alone in the abyss of space after letting down literally everyone. Ever. So no sweat right?

Turns out, we do really well under pressure. I wish every other endeavour in my life knew this. I’m sure there were likely piloting manuals as we made our way through what seems to be Earths only functioning Space port. It’s barely even that, just a junkyard with a very tall rocket docking station at the end. I did not, however, pick up aforementioned manuals, and it turns out that when it gives us the prompt to “start the rocket, prepare for launch” they really expect me to know how to start a rocket and prep for launch. The first sign that pressure wasn’t actually that big of a deal was that it went rather smoothly, especially considering how complicated and in depth the process was. I haven’t had much experience actually prepping space shuttles for launch, but to the best of my knowledge it was a good likeness.

It isn’t long before we’re hurtling towards the moon whilst familiarising ourselves with what has actually happened and what we might be looking for. It turns out that a large space station was launched into orbit, and resides directly above the face of the moon. A large…elevator, for want of a better word, was then attached, meaning it was possible to take a lift down to the surface of the moon. Whilst searching for an escape from our doomed planet, the moon colonists actually found an abundance of Helium3, and were able to convert it to energy that was then beamed back to earth via some very convenient plot devices. Hello Stream Tech. Then, as previously mentioned, the power went out and we lost all communication with the Moon. 5 years after the blackout occurred, the daughter of one of the Moon Colonies leading scientists, who still resides on Earth, partners up with Rolf Robertson (that’s me!) to send him to the moon to Primarily turn on the power, but also to investigate what happened 5 years ago and see if they’ve made any technological advances that might help mans plight on Earth. Spoiler alert; that is a horrific oversimplification, as I’m sure all of us are not surprised to learn. There will be no convenient power switch labelled “TURN ON EARTHS POWER” and I can say confidently there is no way the blackout was due to anything straightforward and easy.

Rolf is quite obviously British, because the power went out FIVE YEARS AGO and he’s only now making a house call. Hope no one was waiting around for the power to come back on. Even knowing we’re on our way, it’s still a 3 day wait before we’re in sight of the docking station.

Even knowing this place is likely empty (I mean it’s been 5 years of no power, who is surviving here and if so HOW?!) it gives off such a creepy atmosphere. Of course things aren’t as easy as “Land. Find big space elevator, head down to moon.” The power being off for the Pearson Station is a separate issue to the power not being beamed down to Earth. Obviously but like…Convenience? Our first problem we encounter, after docking at Pearson Space station is that there is *Surprise* no power, which means the life support system that pumps breathable oxygen around isn’t working. This little titbit makes the thought of something else being here with us all the more terrifying because if the power went out five years ago, it means there’s been no air supply for five years too. Nothing good survives that. Rolf has a look around and there appears to be a power cell lying around we can plug in. You’d think that the people who managed to create something as innovative as Stream tech would maybe work on their own system to get rid of these sorts of things. Unfortunately, all this does is open a door, rather than restore oxygen and solve our power issues. A quick Zero G foray past some handy oxygen tanks we can nab finds up a second power cell. This is used to power the door we’ve opened, but from the other side, allowing us to back track and get our first power cell. Honestly, it’s like a space version of towers of Hanoi, but with a lot more risk and less strangers on TikTok challenging you to do it blind folded (Looking you Jackherita).

Once we’ve done some boring here and there work with the cells, we can finally activate the life support system! Hurrah, no more relying on conveniently floating cannisters of Oxygen. Which have raised a question for me, and a potential fear; How long ago where those cannisters prepped and left near the life support controls in case of an issue? Are there plenty more throughout the station, maybe keeping someone or something else alive? Does an O2 cannister have a use by date?

As we battle these internal questions and the possible implications of there being more oxygen supplies, it’s time to head towards the Central Hub. Makes sense, because I think it’s the best place to either find some clues as to what has happened, give us an idea of where to go next, or at the very least give us a great place to connect to most other parts of the station. We first get to pass through some sleeping quarters, and even one room labelled as Rolfs room. Have we been here before? Is that why Rolf was chosen for this mission? In here we find some comics and a telescope. If we wait long enough, we’re sure to see something pass by, or maybe we can see our actual house from here, back on earth.

Space bears are apparently a danger now as well. Great.

The next stop after the sleep quarters is at last where we might get some answers. Control Center. Of course it requires a password, and after some digging we see these moon colonists apparently forgot all about GDPR when they went to space; the code is written down on a God damned notepad. Once inside, we can actually interact with a computer that will allow us to Diagnose MPT. I’ll admit, when I first heard the voice read it out I thought it said diagnose amputee. All this seems to do though is allow the machine to say “Huh, I AM broken, what do y’know?” and open some more doors for us. I’m sensing a theme here.

More airlocks await us, but this time we can use freakin’ space lasers! This allows us to cut open locks and give us access to another console, but more important it’s making me cast my mind back to Alien: Isolation. Weyland-Yutani had these little vents in one of their big stations, and you needed a laser to cut them and get in. Just what I wanted to think about when we’re alone (We hope) and trapped in space; the similarities between our situation and that of Amanda Ripley. Spoiler alert for those that haven’t played Alien but want to – Yes, she is related to THAT Ripley, but I won’t say how.

Using our brand new laser brings us to some more 0-g puzzles, namely try not to suffocate as you navigate an accidental space maze. Once through, we can activate another airlock that gives us back some of that sweet sweet Oxygen. We’ll let Rolf catch his breath (HA) and return in Part 2!

-Brightstarfox