Delve into VR. Delve into the Universe. This is an introductory game to the universe our game builders have created. Join the UNC Pathfinder core and embark on an adventure of discovery and danger as you lay claim to random parts of our existence. An AI isn’t involved at all, we swear!
There’s a burning deep down low…
The unrest is beginning, with UNC: Pathfinder — the first release in a six-game series. While each game can be played as a standalone, together they tell a multifaceted story in a complex universe.
In UNC: Pathfinder, you’re a clone living on a space station managed by the amazing (and handsome) Chad. What’s life like for you? You’re basically just there to handle the menial work, like moving boxes, and to make things better for the humans.
But hey, it’s not all bad! Clone slavery isn’t legal anymore, so you can earn money for your work! And you can (mostly) make your own decisions about how you want to be useful.
Looking for a life beyond just moving boxes on the space station? Join the UNC: Pathfinder Corps!
You’ll get to explore the galaxy, discover new planets, find valuable treasure, build bases, pilot spaceships, and even fall in love. And who knows what else will happen while you’re out there in the blackness of space…
UNC: Pathfinder releases February 2024 for PC, Mac, and Linux*. It’s also available in VR — fully compatible with Meta Quest (all versions), HTC Vive (all versions), and the Valve Index.
*Xbox and Playstation release coming late 2024
The game is going to punish you…
UNC: Pathfinder is an engaging, innovative game — but that doesn’t mean it’s a happy one. (Hey, we already told you we’re evil — it’s right there in the URL). It’ll punish you for your choices — even the ones you have to make in situations with no good options.
It’s a game full of ethical dilemmas and emotional decisions, and it can turn on you when you least expect it. So be wary! You might not like the consequences of your actions.
Your actions don’t just affect you in the game, either. Connect your social accounts and we’ll make sure to tell your friends and followers about everything you do in the game. Everything.
When you find a cool secret treasure or decide to selflessly help an NPC with a depressing backstory? We’ll give you some public kudos.
When you YOLO off a cliff or lose your ship to space pirates? We’ll LMAO while we post those “achievements.”
When you decide to say “f*** it” and choose your own interests over everyone else’s? Yeah, we’ll broadcast that, too.
Everyone will know.
Don’t let that scare you off, though. It’s part of the fun (and the evil). As a thanks for playing the game, we’ll give you a free upgraded weapon for UNC: Pathfinder.
The Wall: Bring the game into reality
Here at Rook Games, we love a truly immersive gaming experience. That’s one of the reasons we’re developing UNC: Pathfinder in VR (natively — it’s not a ported game).
And we’re also hosting a free Augmented Reality Game leading up to each of the six games we have planned.
The ARG for UNC: Pathfinder is called The Wall, and it’s been going strong since July. Players have been solving puzzles, winning prizes, and even hunting for (and finding) real-life treasure chests.
But The Wall’s not all fun and games. Soon, players will have to make some hard choices. And those choices will affect gameplay — in UNC: Pathfinder! Seriously.
If you choose to allow UNC: Pathfinder to pull your player data from The Wall, your actions in the ARG may modify your game experience.
Maybe you’ll get to play a long, detailed storyline and experience the full wonder of the VR universe we’ve created. Or maybe you’ll get an hour in and hit a wall (get it?).
Yep, we’re serious about creating games where your decisions matter.
UNC: Pathfinder and beyond
The universe we’ve created here at Rook Games centers on our flagship sci-fi VR games (UNC: Pathfinder and future releases), but everything is connected.
That means the clues in The Wall (and future ARGs) all tie into the larger story.
Even our family-friendly western adventure, That Cowgirl Life (releasing on Steam and Meta late December 2023), exists in the same universe — and you can discover fun crossover clues where you least expect them.
What’s up next after UNC: Pathfinder?
Our second flagship game, Invincible, releases late 2024. We’re not ready to reveal all the details yet, but we will warn you against getting too attached to any of the characters you encounter in UNC: Pathfinder.
Rook Gaming is evil
Want to know why we’re evil? Read on — or just watch this.
Here at Rook Games, we love those titles that draw you into a different world, introduce you to characters you love (or hate), and give you the chance to make game-changing decisions.
But we’ve found that most games (even the decision-driven ones) mostly focus on rewarding you for the “right” choices. They don’t place you in no-win scenarios or force you to choose the lesser of evils. And even if they do, they generally soften the blow so you don’t feel too bad.
We decided to create games that make players face the results of their decisions head on. Intense, immersive games with positive and negative consequences.
We want our games to hurt.
Because that’s what good stories do — they force you to see the world (and your part in it) as it truly is, which is equally beautiful and devastating. Your choices have consequences in the real world, even when there are no good options or when you have to make a decision without all the information.
And that’s what you’ll experience playing our games.
You’re not gonna get those sugar-coated storylines. We won’t give you a world where you can always make the fair, altruistic choices.
And we won’t shield you from the results of your decisions. Whether you fully commit to the dick move or agonize over the lesser of evils, you (or maybe some innocent bystander) will experience the consequences.
And you’ll be forced to think about what that means. To dig deep and figure out your beliefs and motivations — and whether you need to change them.
True evil exists in the world, and it can touch anyone’s life, even if you’re just going along trying to make the right choices. We’ve all experienced this to some extent, and we’re all (consciously or unconsciously) just trying to figure out how to deal with it.
Can you learn more about yourself through a video game? We think so. And we hope our games teach you something about yourself… even if it’s a truth you didn’t really want to face.
Want more long-winded rants about evil (along with development updates and game news)?
Meet the world-building and dev team
Rook Games is a very small team dedicated to creating games that tell a story. We’re developing games that are immersive and enjoyable for everyone — from the Twitch streamer playing hours a day to the middle-aged parent squeezing in some game time whenever they can. We believe it’s time (long past time) for gaming companies to respect their employees, promote inclusivity, and honor their players, so we’re doing our best to set the standard.
Rook Games was founded by Brion Holland, a U.S. Army veteran and lifelong gamer. He completed two tours in Iraq, first as an engineer and later as a Psyops Team Leader. Brion started writing the stories for UNC: Pathfinder, Invincible, and the following games a decade ago as a way to work through some of his combat experiences and resulting PTSD.
Since then, he’s joined forces with other military veterans to help bring his vision for meaningful video games to life. Rook Games has partnered with Axios VR (founded by U.S. Army vet Brenden Barrowman) to develop a groundbreaking mental health VR platform designed to help treat PTSD and TBI. Brion has also brought on Nerdbuilding (founded by his brother, a U.S. Marine Corps vet) to provide the 3D modeling and animation for Rook Games.