by Alexander Tait September 2004

The Infinite Ocean (2003, Jonas Kyratzes, independent developer) Walkthrough

The follow up to The Last Rose in a Desert Garden is more of Jonas Kyratzes’ examination of philosophy and moral attitudes of our time and of people in general. The claustrophobic environments, messages on the walls, and absence of other people to “talk” to serve to create an environment of emptiness, despair, and hopelessness. Though not a sequel, thematically this game is a sister piece to Jonas Kyratzes’ earlier work.

There is no clear background story or firm conclusion, so every player will have their own interpretation of what happened before the game and what will transpose at the game’s conclusion. In my email conversations with Jonas, however, he has made clear that the story is NOT an open-ended one: there is significance in everything in the game. On his site, he has a self-styled hint page of questions designed to move the player’s thinking in the intended dramatic direction. I suspect that I will have to play this game again to make sense of the clues and understand the “big picture”.

The game is short but, again like Last Rose in a Desert Garden, is full of quality writing. It’s akin to reading a strong short story (such as Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” or even J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye”) and comparing it to the latest Dean Koontz or John Grisham novel. Yes, other games may be more widely known and played but popular opinion does not equate with critical acclaim.

Sounds are sparse and further add to the loneliness. I am always in awe of what one person can achieve in a game (especially considering the hundreds of awful games I’ve seen and played that are designed by teams of people). The game is completely in black and white and there is a block-like quality to the architecture in keeping with corridors and rooms.

The game begins in what may I interpreted to be an abandoned spaceship…

Room with a Typewriter

Here am I in an abandoned structure of some sort. It’s deathly silent. I feel I should remember something but I don’t. I’m completely alone-not even accompanied by my memories. At odds with my modern surroundings is a typewriter on the table. Who would use a typewriter in this day and age?

I turn to my left and pick up a circuit board near some overturned chairs and a table with a still warm cup of coffee on it. Still warm. Perhaps there is someone still around after all. I turn back and cast my eye once again over the typewriter. Is it familiar? If only I could remember clearly… I turn to my right and this time I note a plastic card. I pick up the access card and go thorough the door behind the typewriter.

Room with a Porthole

I pick up a screwdriver that someone has left on the floor. Perhaps the most useful tool I could find, it may help me get out of here. At my left, I look out at the universe through a porthole at eye level. Turning to my right, I notice two computer terminals. The left-hand terminals allow me access with a touch. Reading through the journal entries, I make a mental note of Jerry’s log password, “ABCDEF”.

I repeat my actions with the right hand terminal and read entries from the SGDS computer. I discover more references to passwords. The SGDS Control password is “0470400” but the SGDS Power Management password is incomplete: “845878” and then jargon characters.

I turn to my right and exit back to the room I had been in before. The clock on the wall is stopped at 11:58.

Room with the Typewriter

At my left is another door. I enter a room that contains several strange columns rising from floor to ceiling on the other side of the room. There is a series of notes scattered on the floor. The third one contains a code without reference to what it meant: “52891013567”.

At my right, I find another terminal, though this is in poor condition. I undo the access panel with the screwdriver and replace the circuit board. It flashes to life and I access it. This is the SGDS Control Panel (LCL). I log on with the “0470400” password.

Reading through the data contained on the access screen, I repair door 5A.

I then leave the room and return to the room with the porthole.

Room with the Porthole

After re-entering this room, I cross the room and go through the door immediately opposite.

Room with a Pinboard

I turn around and catch sight of a note pinned to well-used pinboard. The note reads “Orieno”, obviously yet another password. I then turn to my right and pick up a loose note on the ground. It, too, contains a password but the last digit is difficult to read: “256719” or perhaps “256712”. I then turn around again and use my screwdriver on a loose panel, removing a cable and bringing it with me.

I access the adjoining terminal and take note of the Emergency mode password: “567832518”. I turn to my left and exit from the room by the door.

Room with many Terminals

I am surrounded by terminals in what must be some kind of control room. The terminal in front of me is broken, with wires hanging out. I fix the cable using the one I had found. I access the terminal and enter the password “Orieno” to bring the terminal online.

I turn around and access the left-hand terminal. I find another part of the power management password: “587832”. Putting the two together, I come up with the complete password: “84587832”.

I turn to my left and exit through the door.

Empty Room

I turn immediately around and pick up the electronic log belonging to Jerry. I enter “ABCDEF”. His entries make mention of the ICR Password: “37089” and part of the Emergency Mode password: “9367528” followed by gibberish. I return to the room with the porthole.

Room with the Porthole

At my left, I access the left-hand terminal. I enter “37089” as the Information Control Room password. I leave and return to the room with the pinboard.

Room with the Pinboard

I immediately leave this room from the door at my left-a room I have not been able to access before.

Second Room with Many Terminals

At left, I access the left-hand terminal. The files reveal another component of the Emergency password: “251801”. I then access the right hand terminal. I enter the password “256712” to deactivate the IO.

I then turn to my right and access yet another terminal. The entries speak of the procedure to deactivate emergency mode. Power management needs to be set to automatic and Information Override needs to be switched off. I realize I have switched off IO already so now I have to find the power management area. I access another terminal before leaving the room and pick up a disk that is ejected.

I am pretty certain I haven’t overlooked the room in my travels. I return to the room with many terminals because I remember I have seen another door there.

Room with Many Terminals

I go over to the other door I have seen before. A sign on the wall warns of danger to any that would enter. I suspect that this may have applied to an earlier time and the answers to my presence are likely going to be found on the other side of the door so I enter slowly and cautiously.

Warning Room

To my surprise, there is very little of note about this room. At a terminal at my right, I insert the disk I have found earlier. I an able to access it. I enter the password “84587832” but nothing happens. The door doesn’t open.

I turn around and am about to leave when I notice another electronic log. I read through the entries and then return to the second room with many terminals.

Second Room with many Terminals

Accessing the terminal, it requests a twenty-three-digit code. I put the three partial emergency codes I have found together and enter the number:

93675289101356783251801

Emergency mode is deactivated!

I return to the warning room.

Warning Room

The door is now open flooding the room with light. I enter the infinite ocean not quite certain where it will take me. Heaven? Hell? Another galaxy? Is it the end the end of the world? I have nothing to lose.