Command your squad. Read your briefings. Accept the consequences.
The Oort Protocol: Perihelion is a hardcore squad-based tactical roguelike where you command 4 soldiers through turn-based combat in a brutal solar war. No tutorials. No quest markers. No hand-holding. Learn by playing, failing, and mastering the unforgiving tactical landscape of 2476.
This is a game that respects your intelligence. Mission briefings contain actual intelligence. Dialogue has consequences. Read carefully or pay the price in blood.
TACTICAL ROGUELIKE COMBAT
Command your 4-soldier squad through turn-based tactical missions on an ASCII battlefield. Every decision matters. Every soldier counts. Individual permadeath means losing a squad member permanently affects your entire campaign—but campaigns can continue. Finish with one survivor if you're skilled enough, or recruit between missions and accept the consequences of inexperience.
Keyboard-driven controls (WASD/Arrow keys) put you in direct command. No abstraction. No automation. Pure tactical decision-making.
NO MERCY. NO TUTORIALS.
The Oort Protocol doesn't explain itself. You're dropped into the role of a field commander with a terminal, a squad, and a mission brief. Everything you need to know is embedded in the world:
• Mission briefings contain crucial tactical intelligence—read them or suffer
• Dialogue trees affect faction relationships and story outcomes
• Lore is discovered through interrogations, conversations, and documents
• Learn systems by interacting with them, not through pop-ups
• Death is permanent and meaningful
This is hardcore by design. There's no "story mode," no difficulty slider, no quest markers guiding you to objectives. Figure it out. Fail. Learn. Master.
THE CRT TERMINAL EXPERIENCE
You are a field commander in 2476, working from your military terminal. The interface reflects this—authentic CRT phosphor green aesthetics with scanline effects for all command functions:
• Squad selection and customization
• Mission briefings and intelligence reports
• Interrogation sessions with prisoners and informants
• Faction relationship management
• Campaign progression tracking
The tactical battlefield shifts to color-coded ASCII representation for combat clarity while maintaining the retro-tactical aesthetic.
FACTION WARFARE & BRANCHING CAMPAIGNS
The solar system is fractured. Multiple factions vie for control, each with distinct ideologies, equipment, and strategic objectives. Your allegiance shapes:
• Available missions and objectives
• Squad composition and equipment options
• Story branches and outcomes
• Faction relationships throughout the trilogy
• The ultimate fate of humanity in the Oort Cloud
Choose carefully. Your decisions persist.
PART ONE OF A TRILOGY
The Oort Protocol is a three-game story arc where your choices carry forward:
PERIHELION: The Fear of War - The solar system teeters on the brink. Factions maneuver. War is inevitable.
HELION: War Rages - The inner system burns. Command your forces through escalating conflict.
APHELION: Only One Victor - The final campaign reaches the Oort Cloud. Your trilogy of decisions determines who controls humanity's future.
Each game is a complete experience, but the full story spans all three. Your command decisions in Perihelion echo through Helion and culminate in Aphelion.
KEY FEATURES
• Turn-Based Squad Tactics - Control 4 soldiers in tactical combat
• Individual Permadeath - Soldiers die permanently; campaigns continue with consequences
• ASCII Tactical Battlefield - Classic roguelike representation with color coding
• Keyboard-Driven Controls - WASD/Arrow keys for direct tactical command
• Faction-Based Campaigns - Multiple playthroughs with different allegiances
• CRT Terminal Interface - Authentic military computer aesthetic
• Embedded Lore - Story through briefings, dialogue, and discovery
• No Meta-Progression - Pure skill-based gameplay, no permanent upgrades
• Procedural Missions - Varied tactical scenarios and objectives
• Trilogy Structure - Your choices persist across all three games
DESIGNED FOR HARDCORE PLAYERS
If you loved the uncompromising difficulty of Angband and Nethack, the squad tactics of original X-COM and Laser Squad, and games that trust your intelligence—this is for you.
If you want quest markers, tutorial pop-ups, and difficulty settings—this isn't your game.
The Oort Protocol is built for players who: • Remember when games didn't explain everything • Want to master complex systems through experimentation
• Accept failure as the best teacher
• Read dialogue for crucial information
• Make hard decisions with permanent consequences
• Value strategic depth over visual spectacle
EARLY ACCESS ROADMAP
Perihelion enters Early Access with core systems functional and 2-3 playable factions. The full release will include:
• Complete faction campaigns with all story branches
• 40+ distinct mission types with environmental variety
• Expanded character origins and customization
• Full equipment and progression systems
• Refined tactical AI and balance
• Complete lore integration
• Polish and quality-of-life improvements that maintain hardcore design
Development timeline: 8-10 months. When it's done, it's done.
Your choices matter. Your soldiers matter. You matter.
Welcome to The Oort Protocol, Commander.
