Progress is entirely linear to the point of tedium, not just narratively but geographically. That doesn't last for long and you're soon firmly in traditional action territory and, from that point on, the game is as trapped in its gloomy corridors and tunnels as the characters themselves. Of course, things aren't what they seem, and this introductory sequence does a good job of creating an obvious but enjoyable off-kilter atmosphere. Perhaps this is how you prove your innocence in the future. Guards approach with murderous intent, and this ordinary doctor fights back by grabbing a fireaxe and decapitating them. There's precious little time to establish his backstory, however, as within 10 minutes of starting the game Tokaj is accused of some mysterious crime and declared a public menace. You play as Dr Albert Tokaj, a psychologist tasked with monitoring the mental state of the people living below ground. It's Fallout crossed with Dead Space, basically, and while it does a serviceable job of calling to mind its inspirations, it offers none of its own. Below, people live in sterile comfort, ruled by totalitarian leaders and subject to the madness of Confinement Syndrome. Topside, the world now belongs to mutants and monsters. It's a third-person survival-horror shooter, set in a post-apocalyptic dystopia where humanity has survived a cataclysmic war by retreating to underground bunkers. They've also created something so generic that you can't help wondering if it was worth the effort. They've created something that looks incredibly impressive, with Unreal 3 powered visuals and a throbbing orchestral soundtrack. These are the questions that buzzed around my head while playing Afterfall: Insanity, a game produced over several years by Intoxicate Studios, a group of Polish coding enthusiasts who coordinated their efforts over internet forums. Where do you draw the line between indie and mainstream gaming? Is it purely a financial distinction, with one being produced for peanuts and the other benefiting from healthy sacks of cash, or is it an ideology, with independence not only from corporate interests but from conventional design?

Afterfall insanity awful framerate