Place: the lower deck
The story takes place on the lower deck of a giant dystopian space station. The station is split by wealth and corruption; the lower deck is where the pawnshop is located.
The player was a scavenger before being set up with the pawnshop lease.
Factions
The station is home to multiple factions, and how the player relates to them affects the business:
- Security — runs inspections and law enforcement; getting caught with stolen or contraband goods carries penalties.
- Rebels — an underground force opposed to the authorities.
- Fallen elites — former upper-class residents who have fallen to the lower deck.
The Steam description notes that "all factions agree" on how to deal with Augs, implying a rare point of consensus across the factions.
The Aug threat
Aug (the Augmented) are a core threat. The Steam description reads, in essence:
"A self-aware AI chip has gone rogue and taken control of its host. The Augmented look no different from ordinary people… until they give themselves away. Stay vigilant, watch for the slightest tell. Every faction agrees to deal with Augs on the spot…"
- Aug are humans parasitised by a rogue AI chip.
- They look ordinary, but reveal non-human tells in behaviour or speech.
- All factions share a policy of dealing with Augs on the spot.
- The player identifies Augs by observing customers' dialogue and behaviour.
Protagonist & mentor
The player runs the pawnshop, having previously been a scavenger. During a run the player must:
- Appraise and value the goods customers bring in;
- Haggle, balancing profit against risk;
- Manage inventory, machines, and production chains;
- Meet the rent that comes due every seven days;
- Identify and deal with Aug customers;
- Hide stolen and contraband goods to evade inspections.
Content on this page from the Steam store page "About This Game" description.