Tetrarchy Studios is calling on players to step into the world of Mandated Fate, a retro-futuristic noir adventure set in an alternate 1985 where a technocratic empire rules with an iron grip. Ahead of release, the indie team is opening playtesting to gather feedback on the game’s branching narrative, exploration, and atmosphere, according to the press release.
Mandated Fate casts you as an Imperial Police inspector sent into a resistant district after a brutal murder shakes the regime’s fragile control. What begins as a straightforward investigation quickly unravels into a web of conspiracies, hidden loyalties, and moral dilemmas that force you to weigh allegiance against integrity. The decisions you make ripple outward, shaping the fate of the district and the empire itself across five distinct narrative paths and multiple endings.
The city is built for exploration, with richly detailed interiors, wide promenades, and a fully functioning subway system tying its districts together. Every corner is designed to immerse players in a living world where authority and rebellion collide. Choices are embedded in dialogue as much as in action, and conversations can shift alliances or close doors permanently depending on how you handle them.
Visually, Mandated Fate draws heavily from the traditions of cyberpunk and film noir. Stark lighting, looming architecture, and retro-futuristic design elements create a mood that mirrors the story’s tension between order and dissent. It is a city alive with atmosphere, caught in the shadow of an empire both futuristic and decayed.
Currently, the game features AI-generated placeholder voices, though the team plans to implement full voice acting as development progresses. Combined with its layered story and branching paths, Mandated Fate is designed to challenge players not just to make choices, but to live with them.
Tetrarchy Studios is seeking playtesters who are passionate about narrative-driven games, cyberpunk settings, and immersive role-playing experiences. Testers will have the opportunity to shape dialogue pacing, fine-tune exploration systems, and weigh in on how effectively the game captures its neo-noir tone. For those interested in exploring a dystopian vision of 1985 and leaving their mark on its development, the studio is now accepting applications via email or through its community channels.