Review: Liquidators

One of the staples of indie horror is the natural oppressiveness of modern industry. Games where the player explores abandoned factories are a dime a dozen, but Liquidators mixes in a little something that you rarely see in games: a basis in fact. Unlike most scary games out there, this one walks the player through the aftermath of one of the most devastating accidents in modern history, and the unsettling atmosphere comes from the was it keeps things realistic.

But, before we start talking about this game, it would be a good idea to go over the real life events that led up to it. In 1972, near the city of Pripyat, construction began on the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. This new facility would be home to four nuclear reactors, each of which went into active service as they finished construction. By 1982, the entire plant was up and running. Like most power plants, it garnered little outside interest until April 26, 1986, when things went horrifically wrong following a test of reactor number 4.

Instead of stabilizing, the reactor's systems overloaded, triggering fires and large explosions as the reactor core overheated and melted through containment - an event known as a reactor meltdown. Between the fires and explosions, a large of radioactive material was launched into the neighboring areas, leaving them dangerously contaminated to this day.

Unfortunately, there was potential for things to get much worse. Located underneath the damaged reactor was a large water reservoir. Even though the fires were out and the explosions had stopped, the blisteringly hot remains of the reactor's core was still melting through the facility. If this mass reached the reservoir, its heat would instantly boil the water, creating a massive steam explosion that would scatter radioactive material across most of Europe, possibly killing millions and rendering a large portion of the Earth permanently uninhabitable.

To prevent this catastrophe from happening, three men were selected to enter the remains of reactor number 4 and drain its reservoir. Draining away the water would be the easy part: all they needed to do was turn six valves located throughout the complex, and automatic systems would do the rest. The hard part would be reaching those valves, as the original meltdown had turned much of the building into a deathtrap with pools of contaminated water, loose cables, and piles of highly radioactive debris around every corner.

And so the events of Liquidators begins. In this game, players assume control of these three men. Controlling one technician at a time, you'll guide them through the wreckage in hopes of draining away the water before they succumb to radiation or other hazards. To help them navigate, each man carries a Geiger counter and a flashlight, though the flashlights are easily shorted out in areas with large amounts of radiation. New ones can be found throughout the facility, but it's generally not a good idea to trust in them too much.

Each of the three men has a special ability that can provide you with an advantage. Alexei is an electrical engineer, which translates to being the only member of the team who's allowed to activate light switches and other systems. Note that these will remain operational even if he dies, so you can make a trail for future attempts as you go along. Boris plays the role of the group's tank, as he can withstand most direct exposure of the group. The final member of the team is Valeri, who can squeeze his way through ventilation ducts and other small openings. This can allow you to bypass some hazards, but some of the vents are deadly traps in and of themselves. Pick your routes wisely.

Speaking of the hazards, most of the radioactive materials you'll encounter will only hurt your character if you actually touch them. That doesn't mean you can let your guard down: it's really easy to brush against the molten debris, especially in dark areas. The only exception to this is the infamous Elephant's Foot, a pile of molten nuclear fuel and other materials that formed after the initial blasts. If you can see the Elephant's Foot, your character is about to die from airborne radiation. The only way to survive that section is to remain behind cover as much as you can.

But, as lethal as that blob is, it's only the second most dangerous thing in the game. In practice, contaminated water is a much bigger threat. Since everyone is wearing heavy gear to protect themselves from radiation exposure, they're weighed down too much to be able to swim. Thus, they'll drown if they end up caught underwater for more than a few brief moments, and there are plenty of opportunities for this to happen throughout the game.

On the plus side, you don't need to leave someone for dead. If you have another team member available and can reach their fallen comrade, then you can carry their unconscious friend back to the reactor's entrance. From there they'll be taken outside and given first aid. You won't be able to play as them again, but at least they'll survive the mission. Be careful attempting this though: it's very easy to end up losing both people this way!

Now, it's fairly obvious by this point that this game deals with some seriously heavy topics. This makes it a short, but very chilling ride. If you enjoy atmospheric horror, then you'll want to give this game a try. It's also completely free - the developers primarily wanted to raise awareness of these events and the people affected by them, so they aren't charging for their game. Instead, they ask that players donate to charities like Chernobyl Children International, who provide assistance to the victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

You have one chance

Many flashing lights

Auditory horror

One minor swear word

The truth is less dramatic