About

Release date

May 12, 2022

Publisher

Cyan Ventures / CityLights

Website

http://areamanlives.com/

UPDATE: We are happy to announce that AREA MAN LIVES is a:

"BEST NARRATIVE GAMES OF 2022" OFFICIAL SELECTION ON THE QUEST STORE
VENICE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2022 OFFICIAL SELECTION
CANNES XR 2022 OFFICIAL SELECTION

AREA MAN LIVES. Or does he? If you could join a radio drama already in progress, talk to the characters and interact with the environments the story painted in your mind, you might find yourself in the world of the area man.

A quirky radio drama unfolds around you in VR while you do your best to keep the radio station humming along as its new DJ. You record commercials, interview callers and try your best to piece together how your actions inside the station impact your listening audience in scenarios so wild they can only live in your imagination.

If it all feels like too much, don’t worry, you’ll have your lonely producer, the resident skeptic, to guide you on your way, not to mention the vaguely British female voice inside your head.

When an unusual area man calls into the station asking for your help, you have to act fast. Will you trust the area man, or do your best to thwart his plans? Is there anything you can do to save the area man from himself?

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Supported platforms

Meta Quest

Meta Quest 2

Meta Quest Pro

Meta Quest 3

Meta Quest 3S

Additional details

Genres

Player modes

Game modes

Languages

Ratings & reviews

3.75

83 ratings

Oculus rating

Player reviews

This game is SO WEIRD

In a great way. I haven't played for very long, and I haven't gotten far but the humor is fantastic. Totally laughing aloud. You actually use your own voice, something I haven't experienced before in a VR game. It has that immediate sense of the traditional adventure/puzzle genre where you're dropped into it without handholding. That said, there's a tutorial to get the hang of the controls. Can't wait to see how this shakes out!

208 found this helpful

False advertising

No matter what you say the characters always have the same reaction so the one aspect I was looking forward too was just a lie. I believed that the story would shape determined by what you say but it's not. The producer is too annoying, he cuts off everyone and you can barely make out what anyone says because he needs to speak every 5 seconds. There's no tutorial explaining what anything does or how the recording works for the commercials. This game is 100% not worth playing!

57 found this helpful

Like nothing else I've ever played!

Self described as a ‘quirky VR adventure that mixes comics with radio dramas’, Area Man Lives just won’t be for everyone, but for those that are looking for a more chill & passive but still meaty narrative experience, this delivers plenty of entertainment value. The voice recognition adds a really slick level to the immersion factor, and I think it’s use here is the best I’ve ever seen, though admittedly, that is limited to a few games. If you are into the games like Tokyo Chronos, Hitchhiker or Project lux than I think you’ll enjoy Area Man Lives, just be aware that your first playthrough is going to be confusing, but stick with it and you’ll have a good time! VIDEO REVIEW - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePqp2zf8LNc WRITTEN REVIEW - https://www.thevrgrid.com/area-man-lives/

54 found this helpful

Enjoyed it for a bit but..

After I had played for about an hour and a half , just about every scenario was very repetitive, like if you only owned five legos. I understand you are a very small company but repetition throws people off. However ,what I adore about this game is it’s intricate systems ,like speaking and the characters reacting accordingly . I also loved how in the little environment they give you , there is plenty to find. 20$ is a fair price for this game unlike games like Arizona sunshine and population one I look foreword to seeing where this game could go but for now my review stands,thank you for reading.

43 found this helpful

Tips to navigate faster (Spoiler Alert)

This game is totally a CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE combined with an old time radio drama, meets job simulator… and a comedy twist! Ha! Plus you get to do a little acting too. The acting of Max Greenfield, Joel McHale and Ronan Farrow is spot on which helps your imagination paint the story that is being told outside the walls of the radio station. Plus it is just insanely fun to play off of professional actors! (I want to record myself acting with them and post it on tiktok as a duet or something and super confuse my friends) Since it is choose your own adventure it can play slow which was an annoying hurdle especially at first or if you make the wrong choices. If you want it to play faster and hear less dialogue you will need to use your detective skills and intuition to select the “correct” interactions with the items found in your office to move faster through the game. Kinda like an escape room. Except when you make a wrong choice you have to hear the dialogue all over again and it can get repetitive. I also find myself looking for clues while simultaneously listening to the producer. If I ever get really stuck I listen for the narrator (Love Her Voice!) and she will give hints. Go into this game being prepared for it to be story HEAVY …relax into it… talk out loud the whole time!! feel all your feelings… and use your imagination. (Spoiler Alert… after Area man leaves look on the map to find the next spot to guide him to… nbd if you choose the wrong one cause you just hear Schmidty be crazy) I obvi haven’t finished the game yet, but it just keeps getting weirder.

36 found this helpful

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AREA MAN LIVES

About

Supported platforms

Additional details

Ratings & reviews

Player reviews

Dawn.Monkey.574

This game is SO WEIRD

Slendershade

False advertising

The_VR_Grid

Like nothing else I've ever played!

lachuggle

Enjoyed it for a bit but..

SMACJAM

Tips to navigate faster (Spoiler Alert)

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