'Thomas Was Alone' developer launches another sci-fi text game

Here we go again. In August of last year, developer Mike Bithell, responsible for popular games Thomas Was Alone and Volume, did something rather unique. He released a small, $5 narrative game called Subsurface Circular -- first on PC and Mac and then on iPad. It was apparently successful, as Bithell just announced its sequel: Quarantine Circular, which has similar mechanics but a entirely new cast and story.

Bithell announced the new title five minutes before it went on sale for $4.79 on Steam, which fits with his previous Circular effort. The regular price will be $5.99. He tweeted this title is about "talking to an alien on a boat," which may be typical understatement: Subsurface Circular was surprisingly deep for such a short game. "A group of scientists interrogate an alien discovered at the heart of a global pandemic," the game's description reads. "Work with your team, make decisions and uncover the alien's true intentions." The title is a self-contained storyline, so you won't have to have played the first one to get the full experience.