View source for P.A.M.E.L.A.



{{Infobox video game
| collapsible = 
| state = 
| title = P.A.M.E.L.A.
| image = P.A.M.E.L.A. logo.jpg
| caption = 
| developer = NVYVE Studios
| publisher = NVYVE Studios
| director = 
| producer = 
| designer = 
| programmer = 
| artist = 
| writer = 
| composer = 
| series = 
| engine = [[Unity (game engine)|Unity]], [[GOG.com]]
| platforms = [[Microsoft Windows]]
| released = June 18, 2020
| genre = [[First-person shooter]], [[survival horror]], [[Role-playing video game|role-playing]], [[action game|action]], [[adventure]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
}}

'''''P.A.M.E.L.A.''''' is a [[science fiction]] [[first-person shooter]] [[open world]] [[survival horror]] video game by Canadian company NVYVE Studios for [[Microsoft Windows]]. The game takes place in a science fiction, utopian city called Eden, that includes areas such as malls, courtyards, and residential condos. The gameplay is that of an open world [[Nonlinear gameplay|sandbox]], and contains no set path for the player to follow, forcing the player to find their own way to survive. The game also contains role-playing game-like progression, and a story to be discovered in the game world.

The game's central theme revolves around the darkness created by mankind's misguided pursuit of perfection, and the cost it has to the people living in the game world. The player assumes the role of a Sleeper, woken up from cryosleep by Eden's [[Artificial Intelligence]] Pamela. Together they must survive through and discover what happened to bring about the fall of the floating utopia.

''P.A.M.E.L.A.'' was Greenlit on [[Steam (service)|Steam]] by the community on October 1, 2015,<ref>Joe Matt Purslow, [http://www.pcgamesn.com/pamela-receives-the-steam-greenlight-will-release-2016 "P.A.M.E.L.A. receives the Steam Greenlight, will release 2016"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005192133/http://www.pcgamesn.com/pamela-receives-the-steam-greenlight-will-release-2016 |date=5 October 2015 }}, ''PC Games N'', 2 Oct 2015</ref> after receiving a significant amount of press coverage.<ref name="IGN Article">Katie Williams, [http://ca.ign.com/articles/2015/09/22/open-world-survival-horror-pamela-revealed-in-trailer "Open-World Survival Horror Pamela Revealed In Trailer"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170712125049/http://ca.ign.com/articles/2015/09/22/open-world-survival-horror-pamela-revealed-in-trailer |date=12 July 2017 }}, ''IGN'', 22 Sep 2015</ref><ref>Patricia Hernandez, [http://kotaku.com/a-horror-game-that-looks-straight-out-of-mass-effect-1697095686 "A Horror Game That Looks Straight out of Mass Effect"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927120620/http://kotaku.com/a-horror-game-that-looks-straight-out-of-mass-effect-1697095686 |date=27 September 2015 }}, ''Kotaku'', 10 April 2015</ref><ref>Tom Sykes, [http://www.pcgamer.com/open-world-sci-fi-horror-pamela-gets-creepy-trailer/ "Open world sci-fi horror Pamela gets creepy trailer"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926102759/http://www.pcgamer.com/open-world-sci-fi-horror-pamela-gets-creepy-trailer/ |date=26 September 2015 }}, ''PC Gamer'', 21 Sep 2015</ref><ref name="Polygon Interview">Charlie Hall, [http://www.polygon.com/features/2015/9/21/9364749/pamelas-newest-trailer-blends-bioshock-with-stalker-coming-to-steam "Pamela's Newest Trailer Blends Bioshock with Stalker, Coming to Steam Greenlight"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151012063651/http://www.polygon.com/features/2015/9/21/9364749/pamelas-newest-trailer-blends-bioshock-with-stalker-coming-to-steam |date=12 October 2015 }}, ''Polygon'', 21 Sep 2015</ref> The game was released on 9 March 2017 in an Early Access state on Steam.<ref name="Steam Community Announcement">{{Cite web|url=https://steamcommunity.com/games/427880/announcements/detail/630906986335792082|title=Early Access now Available!|date=9 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314164437/https://steamcommunity.com/games/427880/announcements/detail/630906986335792082|archive-date=2017-03-14|url-status=|access-date=2018-04-20}}</ref> On 18 June 2020 the game left early access as version 1.0 was released.

== Gameplay ==
In ''P.A.M.E.L.A.'', the player wakes up from [[Suspended animation|cryosleep]] in Eden, a utopian city.<ref name="IGN Article"/> Events have unfolded in the city which caused the population to be infected with a disfiguring disease, making them unpredictable and sometimes hostile to the player. The player must scavenge for supplies such as food and water to avoid starvation and dehydration, as well as find equipment to aid them in combat. The world includes a full day/night cycle, which forces the player to adapt their strategies depending on the time of day.<ref name="Game Informer Article">Joseph Knoop, [https://www.gameinformer.com/games/pamela/b/pc/archive/2015/09/23/pamelas-horror-filled-utopia-gets-a-new-trailer.aspx "Bioshock Meets Mirror's Edge In New Sci-Fi Survival Horror Game"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250409195858/https://www.gameinformer.com/games/pamela/b/pc/archive/2015/09/23/pamelas-horror-filled-utopia-gets-a-new-trailer.aspx |date=9 April 2025 }}, ''Game Informer'', 23 Sep 2015</ref>

Eden contains many different areas, including residential apartments, shopping areas, and outdoor courtyards. There are also several NPC factions in the game, which utilize a personality-based AI system to result in various behaviors towards each other and the player. The player is also assisted by Pamela, Eden’s AI overseer, who can aid the player in combat and exploration.<ref name="IGN Article"/>

== Development ==
''P.A.M.E.L.A.''’s development began in late 2014, with the [[Unity (game engine)|Unity 5 game engine]].<ref>Shanti Zachariah, [http://blogs.unity3d.com/2015/07/17/the-freedom-to-create-your-own-kind-of-beautiful/ "The Freedom to Create Your Own Kind of Beautiful"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150930234949/http://blogs.unity3d.com/2015/07/17/the-freedom-to-create-your-own-kind-of-beautiful/ |date=30 September 2015 }}, ''Unity 3D'', 17 Jul 2015</ref>

The development team initially consisted of 4 team members.<ref>Shaun Green, [http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/03/13/trouble-in-paradise-watch-survival-horror-pamela-teaser/ "Trouble In Paradise: Watch Survival Horror PAMELA Teaser"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151003121846/http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/03/13/trouble-in-paradise-watch-survival-horror-pamela-teaser/ |date=3 October 2015 }}, ''Rock Paper Shotgun'', 13 Mar 2015</ref> In March 2015, the game was announced at the [[Game Developers Conference]],<ref>Matt Leone, [http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/6/8164099/pamela-mass-effect-mirrors-edge "Pamela is a beautiful survival game inspired by Mass Effect and Mirror's Edge"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011235738/http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/6/8164099/pamela-mass-effect-mirrors-edge |date=11 October 2015 }}, ''Polygon'', 6 Mar 2015</ref> accompanied by an announcement trailer. In September 2015, the development team size had increased to 6,<ref name="Polygon Interview" /> and a new trailer was released which revealed new areas and NPCs.

On September 21, 2015, ''P.A.M.E.L.A.'' was posted on [[Steam Greenlight]]. After reaching the #1 ranking on the service within 48 hours, the game was Greenlit ten days later on October 1, 2015<ref>Ryan Noble, [http://indiegamemag.com/open-world-survival-horror-p-a-m-e-l-a-gets-the-greenlight-to-destroy-eden/ "Open-World Survival Horror P.A.M.E.L.A. Gets the Greenlight to Destroy Eden"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011022152/http://indiegamemag.com/open-world-survival-horror-p-a-m-e-l-a-gets-the-greenlight-to-destroy-eden |date=11 October 2015 }}, ''Indie Game Magazine'', 7 Oct 2015</ref>
The game was still in early access phase as of August 2019 with promises of groundbreaking features such as "story missions" and "bug fixes", this update came in the form of an update article released in August, a mere five months from their previous update, and a strong indication that the game will be released "before the end of 2018."[https://store.steampowered.com/app/427880/PAMELA/ [6<nowiki>]</nowiki>]

On June 18, 2020, version 1.0 of P.A.M.E.L.A. was released on Steam and GOG.<ref name="steam1.0">{{cite web|url=https://store.steampowered.com/newshub/app/427880/view/2465106371967382688|title=P.A.M.E.L.A. 1.0 is Live!|author=NVYVE® Studios|date=2020-06-18|access-date=18 June 2020|archive-date=21 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621101340/https://store.steampowered.com/newshub/app/427880/view/2465106371967382688|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="gog1.0">{{cite web|url=https://www.gog.com/news/release_pamela|date=2020-06-18|title=Release: P.A.M.E.L.A.|author=GOG.com|access-date=18 June 2020|archive-date=20 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200620003201/https://www.gog.com/news/release_pamela|url-status=live}}</ref> “We are all very excited to finally share with our community the full release and story mode for P.A.M.E.L.A. Over the years, all of the support and positive feedback from our fans has encouraged us to make the best full release that we could make and we could not thank you all enough. We cannot wait for everyone to get to experience this story mode full access version of P.A.M.E.L.A.” said Marvin Maalouf, President and CEO of NVYVE Studios.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-18|title=Get Ready to Fight for Survival in the Full Release of P.A.M.E.L.A. from NVYVE Studios|url=https://www.onono.no/2020/06/18/get-ready-to-fight-for-survival-in-the-full-release-of-p-a-m-e-l-a-from-nvyve-studios/|access-date=2021-03-01|website=Onono|language=en-GB|archive-date=22 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922145225/https://www.onono.no/2020/06/18/get-ready-to-fight-for-survival-in-the-full-release-of-p-a-m-e-l-a-from-nvyve-studios/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|pamelagame.com/}}
* [http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=498592198/ P.A.M.E.L.A. Greenlight Page]
*[https://store.steampowered.com/app/427880/PAMELA/ P.A.M.E.L.A. Steam Page]
*[https://www.gog.com/game/pamelar P.A.M.E.L.A. GOG Page]

[[Category:2017 video games]]
[[Category:Video games about artificial intelligence]]
[[Category:2010s horror video games]]
[[Category:Open-world video games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Canada]]
[[Category:First-person shooters]]
[[Category:Science fiction video games]]
[[Category:Survival horror video games]]
[[Category:Windows games]]
[[Category:Windows-only games]]
[[Category:Video games about zombies]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]

{{Wikipedia attribution|original_title=P.A.M.E.L.A.|access_date=2026-03-05}}