Introduction: The Memory Glitch
The year is 2149. Humanity’s greatest innovation, NeuroStream, allows people to upload memories, share emotions, and even rewrite their own past. But as with every miracle, there is a cost. NeuroHacks—illegal memory manipulation software—has turned the technology into a weapon.
You are Kallus Vey, a private investigator specializing in digital crimes. Your latest client is unlike any other: an anonymous user who uploads a disturbing, fragmented memory directly into your mind. It shows a murder—violent, intimate, and terrifyingly real. The victim? Someone you knew but can’t remember.
This memory isn’t just a glimpse of the past; it’s been tampered with, and it’s starting to overwrite your own recollection of events. As you unravel the mystery, you realize the uploaded memory is a key piece of a far-reaching conspiracy involving a secret NeuroStream project: Eclipse Protocol.
Narrative Style: Non-Linear and Fragmented
The story unfolds through a fragmented narrative designed to mirror the glitching of memory data. Players experience:
- Flashbacks triggered by new clues. These flashbacks are playable, but the accuracy of events depends on the integrity of the memory.
- Unreliable Narration: NPCs and even Kallus’ own thoughts may conflict with player choices, creating a sense of paranoia.
- Branching Paths: Key decisions shape how memories manifest and determine which characters trust you. The story’s progression changes based on whether you choose to restore, erase, or manipulate memories.
Core Gameplay Features
- Memory Reconstruction:
Players use a neural interface to dive into fragmented memories. The interface is a puzzle mechanic where you must:- Identify corrupted memory nodes.
- Choose between restoring original data or fabricating new sequences.
Restoring memories can uncover truths but risks losing your grip on reality. Fabricating memories lets you control the narrative, but it may have consequences if the lies are discovered.
- Investigative Exploration:
Navigate Neo-Veza, a sprawling, neon-lit city split into two zones:- The Spire: A gleaming utopia of the wealthy, where NeuroStream is perfected.
- The Undergrid: A chaotic underground network of rogue hackers and memory smugglers.
- Moral Dilemmas:
Choices affect not only the plot but also Kallus’ psyche. Examples include:- Erasing painful memories from an NPC, knowing it might help them move on but could erase critical information.
- Deciding whether to let Kallus restore his own past, which might help the case but could emotionally cripple him.
Plot Progression
- The First Fragment:
Your investigation begins with the uploaded memory, which appears to depict you committing the murder. As you trace its origin, you discover links to a NeuroStream executive whose death was officially ruled a suicide. - The Double Agent:
You uncover an ally, Selene Kodai, a whistleblower working to expose NeuroStream’s secret operations. However, her memories have been manipulated, and she can’t fully trust herself—or you. Together, you explore forbidden parts of the Undergrid, fighting off mercenaries and rogue NeuroHacks. - The Revelation:
The Eclipse Protocol is revealed to be an experimental NeuroStream program designed to create “collective memories” that can rewrite history itself. The murder you’re investigating is just one of many, all orchestrated to test the technology’s potential for societal control.
Endgame Choices
The climax occurs inside NeuroStream’s Eclipse Vault, a virtual space where the collective memories are stored. Here, you confront the architects of the protocol and make your final choice:
- Erase the Vault: Delete the entire collective memory, erasing all evidence of the conspiracy but potentially condemning the world to repeat its mistakes.
- Reprogram the Vault: Replace the memories with fabricated truths that could inspire a better world—but at the cost of free will.
- Expose the Vault: Unleash the raw, unedited memories to the public, sparking global chaos as society struggles to process the truth.
Unique Storytelling Element
The ending is presented as a NeuroStream Broadcast, where you watch the world react to your decision. The broadcast varies based on your choices, revealing NPC fates and whether humanity embraces, rejects, or collapses under the weight of your actions.
Post-Credit Teaser
A shadowy figure accesses a hidden memory file labeled “Eclipse Protocol—Prototype 2.0.” A single voice whispers:
“History isn’t written; it’s rewritten.”
