Subsurface Circular | Switch Review

March 23, 2018 Zack Parkerson

Mike Bithell sure is making a name for himself. Thomas Was Alone was a smash-hit indie success story, and Volume was a worthy follow-up. His newest project comes in the form of the first “Bithell Short,” a series of smaller games. Subsurface Circular is smaller in scope than either of its predecessors, but no less incredible. I was blown away by how interesting the story got, especially considering it all takes place on a single subway car.

Story is the only way to really talk about Subsurface Circular. There are very few mechanics in the game. It’s all a series of conversations with fellow passengers, with the game allowing you to choose your responses. The only real twist comes from so-called “focus points.” These allow your protagonist to focus in on key words or phrases, and use them to converse with the other riders. That’s about it. It’s a talking game, albeit one with no voice acting. Not every game needs voice acting, but this one felt that it could’ve benefitted from its inclusion.

One Long Ride

As you start your ride, a fellow passenger asks you to look into their friends’ disappearance. Being the good detective you are, you decide to help the guy out, even though your bosses wouldn’t approve. See, the difference in Subsurface Circular is that you’re an AI. Your robot protagonist is a high-level intelligence given the designated job of detective. Management has decided that fate for you, but underground in the subways they can’t receive a signal to know you’re conducting an off-the-books investigation.

What follows is essentially a philosophical morality play. You engage in a myriad of conversations as you ride the titular subsurface circular train system. As passengers leave and hop on from train stop to train stop, you’ll have the chance to speak with them. The obvious goal is to see what they know as it pertains to the case, but so much more in unravels. You’ll learn about this world and the place of both humans and AI in it. There are many perspectives on several heavy topics. Labor disruptions, slavery, and even love are topics that are addressed. It’s not always clear-cut which side is the right one, but you’ll hear opinions from all angles.

Finding The Truth in Subsurface Circular

It’s a lot to absorb, but it’s all interesting. Anyone that was enraptured by the writing in Thomas Was Alone or Volume will feel right at home here. While it’s initially less charming than its predecessors, after about 15 or minutes or so you won’t want to put it down. It may only be 2-3 hours long, but it’s more than worth picking up. The ending is spectacular, and worth the asking price alone.

Subsurface Circular is easy to recommend for fans of storytelling in video games. The questions it raises and its ability to let you answer in your own way is constantly compelling. Do yourself a favor and just pick this one up. It’s cheap and brisk, and will stick with you for weeks to come.