The year is 2289. Rapid scientific advancement over the past 50 years has brought humanity to the point of colonizing new planets. Space has become the natural direction of civilization’s expansion — not just due to technical feasibility, but also because of Earth’s depleted resources, ongoing global economic collapse, and increasing armed conflicts. Interstellar expeditions are being launched not only by countries, but also by private corporations. With each passing decade, humanity’s exodus from Earth becomes more widespread.

Colonization became possible thanks to three major scientific breakthroughs:

1. Space propulsion. Based on the theories of Miguel Alcubierre from 1994, faster-than-light travel became possible. It took 250 more years of research before humanity achieved its first trip to Mars in under 7 days — opening the way to cosmic colonization.

2. Genetic engineering. Over the past 150 years, this has been the fastest-developing scientific field. Humanity has reached the point where it can create genetically modified humans tailored for specific environments — those who don’t need oxygen, can withstand extreme pressure or temperature, and so on. These adaptations made it possible to “design” humans suitable for life on any planet. Nations and corporations began racing to claim new worlds.

3. Artificial Intelligence. AI has reached a level millions of times more advanced than the human mind. A single computer is capable of managing a massive industrial complex or — in the case of interstellar travel — a spacecraft, autonomously handling every aspect of operation: from maintaining life-support systems, to navigation, and even creating new embryos in laboratory conditions.

The colonization race is at full speed. Ships are often launched without fully surveying their target planets. Most data is gathered mid-journey, with research conducted onboard using AI and genetic laboratories to grow colonists suited for planetary conditions. Once at the destination, the newly grown colonists are left to establish a base, while the ship — with its original human crew — returns to Earth to restock and launch the next mission.

The game takes place aboard the Silent Star, a ship owned by Rand-Makomi Corporation, one of the leaders in the colonization race. You, the player, are a space-travel veteran, commanding a mission to GJ 1214 b. After waking early from hibernation, you discover the ship is damaged, the crew is dead, and Demeter 804 knows nothing about what happened.

Your goal is to repair critical systems, grow new colonists, and complete your journey — all while forming a deeply personal connection with the ship’s only remaining “being”: the onboard AI, represented by a female voice. As the story unfolds, a series of dramatic events — including navigating deadly asteroid fields and making irreversible decisions — will shape your experience and ultimately the fate of the mission.

The game is set aboard a drifting, damaged, and desolate spaceship. The overwhelming loneliness is counterbalanced by interaction with the AI, and the relationship you develop explores the question: Can artificial intelligence truly stop being artificial?

On the wave of survival game popularity, the idea was born to set one in space. A confined environment, a clear mission, and the challenge of staying alive — with only one companion and a mystery to uncover. That’s how Silent Star: Demeter came to life.

I was responsible for outlining the lore of the world. As always, I focused on making sure the narrative framework was not only appealing to the audience but also believable. That meant deep research into space travel, bioengineering, and AI — as well as revisiting the sci-fi classics. You’ll find many nods to Lem, Dick, Clarke, and O’Bannon throughout the game.