Lies Under Ice

Lead the first settlement on Jupiter's frozen moon, Europa! What alien life lurks beneath the ice? Who is sabotaging your mission? Who can you trust? Lies Under Ice is a 200,000-word interactive science fiction novel by Joey Jones, where your choices control the story. It's entirely text-based—without graphics or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination. The year is 2079. Your mission is to build a settlement, explore Europa's treacherous oceans, terraform the moon, and send findings back to Earth. But political factions within your colony vie for dominance, constantly on the brink of open conflict. While they are technically collaborating on this mission, each one has their own goals for Europa. Will this colony be a site for new trade? A home for Earth's ever-growing population? A clean slate where humans can break free of older social models? How far will each side go to get what they want? With the most advanced science at your disposal—massive terraforming systems, gene splicing, AI therapy-bots, nerve-connected bionic prosthetics, and more—you can venture from the safety of your spaceship out into the hostile frozen world. Descend beneath the ice of Europa, pilot a submarine through frigid waters that no human has ever seen, and uncover ancient secrets of an alien world. There's definitely alien life here. But does it pose a danger to you and your fellow settlers, or is it the greatest opportunity that humanity has ever known? Play as male, female, or nonbinary; gay, straight, bi, or aromantic; poly or monogamous. Choose among six distinct professional backgrounds: diplomat, aerospace engineer, arcologist, asteroid miner, pilot, or marine biologist. Manage the complex needs of an extraterrestrial base: prioritize the comfort of the workers, maximize scientific output, build luxury domes, dig mazes of ice tunnels, or engage in terraforming. Navigate the treacherous politics of Earth’s squabbling factions from millions of miles away! Interact with Europa's alien ecosystem: will you release fish as a sustainable food source, bring along cats for companionship, or rely on synthetic creatures to avoid introducing invasive species? Run for office in Europa's fledgling government! Delve beneath the ice, and reach for the stars!