
Mission: Translate an interstellar message, using the universal languages of math & science.
Modeled estimate, not a reported figure. How we estimate →
Media

About
The Message from Deep Space is an odyssey of puzzles. Take the role of the mission's Translator, working alongside a scrappy band of scientists, and venture headfirst into the world of deciphering an alien language --- completely from the ground up.
Set in 1973, Earth is the recipient of a meteorite that broadcasts radio waves. In the role of the mission's Translator, the player is responsible for designing responses to the meteorite's transmissions, which, if correct, will elicit new messages from the meteorite. Only through this radio wave dialogue will patterns, words, syntax, and meaning all take form, leaving but one question:
What is it the aliens want to say?
Translate an alien language
Learn about an alien civilization
Interface with a retro computer
Manage a user-driven dictionary
Design radio transmissions by frequency
Collaborate with scientists that respond to your actions
+1000 in-game dialogues
+30 minutes OST
+30 hours of gameplay
Inspired by The Golden Record aboard the Voyager I space probe, The Message from Deep Space takes a realistic approach to deciphering an interstellar message. Beginning with the limited universal constants available to technologically advanced civilizations, the message spans a range of real-world fields of math & science. Decoding the message is tough, but with the support of the game's meticulous linguist, the single-minded computer programmer, and the affable astronomer, it is a challenge fit for anyone with Curiosity and Perseverance.
Genres
Stats
All-time low is the lowest price we've recorded for this game since we started tracking it.
Languages: English
Engagement
Hours played at review time, across 218 reviews with recorded playtime.
Reviews
Themes across 218 recent reviews and how positive each mention is. A keyword signal, not full sentiment analysis.
positive critical· bar length = how often the theme comes up
Reviews
Since reading Story Of Your Life (and watching Arrival) I've always been fascinated by communication starting from ground zero. While I love those and Project Hail Mary, I still felt like they gave a sense of starting from nothing, then did some hand waving, then the protagonist is fluent. But I always wanted the nitty gritty behind the hand waving. And this game gives me exactly what I want - you need to connect the dots from beginning to end, no hand waving (besides Bautista's computer wizardry). Every step of the way felt like a revelation that was earned, with very little filler in between. The gameplay wasn't perfect and I think it could have done with a few more QOL changes. But that's nothing compared to the immense satisfaction and joy that I got from the game. Highly recommend!
Leaving negative review just for punishing me for so long with the base 8 ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
One of the best puzzle games I have ever played. Translating signals one transmission at a time, from math to chemistry to physics to... alien philosophy? Most of the game is straightforward, giving you one or two new terms and a series of quizzes to test your understanding while your colleagues trash talk each other. There were several leaps of difficulty that not even the built-in hints helped with (Act X I'm looking at you), but the overall curve remained pretty smooth and I finished all translations in a little over 3 days. [u]THANKS AND FAREWELL[/u]
It's the "translation montage" scene from Arrival or Project Hail Mary except it's 50 hours long
I translate
Project Hail Mary simulator
FINALLY A FRESH GAME WITH A FRESH CONCEPT. CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN.
math
One of the most unique and confidently-made puzzle games I've ever played with a surprising amount of heart. If you like brain teasers and aren't scared by a little bit of math/science stop reading about it and just play the demo. Definitely my GOTY so far.
Absolutely love this game so far. I'm an engineer and love science fiction and this is incredible. The retro-style for the computer, the music. It's great. And it feels very realistic for how first contact, with an alien probe that is rather than a full alien, would go. Slowly working from a common mathematical/physics ground and building up concepts first in math and then expanding. Testing for pattern recognition and critical thinking. It's just very cool.
Related
Related
Trends
Modeled estimate over time, reconstructed from Steam's monthly review histogram.
Momentum
Pace estimated from the game's recent review growth (our daily snapshots) at its own sales-per-review ratio — a momentum signal, not booked sales.
Engagement
DAU/MAU are modeled from peak concurrent players (≈×8 and ×28) — Steam publishes no active-user counts, so treat these as rough estimates, not reported figures.
Audience
Estimated from the language of this game's reviews — a proxy for where players are, not official Steam demographics.
Audience
Games most often reviewed by the same players — an audience-affinity signal from our review sample, not full ownership data.
Related
| 7 Days to Die | $425.3M | 403.6K | 87% | $44.99 |
| Euro Truck Simulator 2 | $421.6M | 932.3K | 97% | $19.99 |
| Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord | $309.8M | 294K | 88% | $49.99 |
| Palworld | $279.6M | 447.5K | 94% | $20.99 |
| Stardew Valley | $258.9M | 881.6K | 99% | $14.99 |
| The Forest | $254.8M | 678.6K | 96% | $19.99 |
Related
| Train Valley | $109.3K | 3.4K | 90% | $0.99 |
| Rosewater | $109.3K | 409 | 92% | $14.99 |
| WAR PARTY | $109.4K | 456 | 68% | $9.99 |
| Blaster Master Zero 2 | $109.3K | 566 | 90% | $9.99 |
| 规则怪谈:盛崖小区 | $109.2K | 306 | 72% | $10.99 |
| Freshly Frosted | $109.2K | 374 | 99% | $9.99 |