You're sitting in a dark room. The only light comes from a flickering CRT monitor and the dim glow of a processing console. Outside, the Swiss Alps are silent, except for the occasional rustle of wind or something... heavier. This is the baseline experience of how to play Voices of the Void, a game that is technically an atmospheric simulation about being a space scientist but feels more like a slow-burn descent into madness. It’s weird. It’s lonely. Honestly, it’s one of the most rewarding indie titles on itch.io right now if you have the patience for it.
Most people bounce off this game within twenty minutes because the controls look like a flight simulator and the tutorial is, well, it's a bit of a dense wall of text. You play as Kel. You’re a researcher stationed at an isolated array. Your job is simple: point dishes at stars, record signals, and sell them to buy more shrimp. But if you think this is just a spreadsheet simulator, you're going to get a very unpleasant surprise when the sun goes down.
Getting Your Bearings in the Array
When you first spawn in, you’re at the main base. It’s huge, messy, and filled with trash. Don't ignore the trash. Seriously. Cleaning up the base and putting "garbage piles" into bags is actually your first real source of income. You can sell those bags via the drone system. This is a crucial loop. You need points to buy better equipment, and the starting equipment is, frankly, junk.
The core gameplay loop involves the signal computer. You'll see a screen with a frequency display. You have to manually adjust the frequency and the filters to find a signal. It's a game of "hot or cold." You move the sliders, watch the wave align, and then hit the record button. It takes time. Sometimes it takes a lot of time. While that's happening, you’re probably going to get hungry. Or tired. The "Stamina" and "Hunger" bars aren't just for show. If you pass out in the woods because you forgot to sleep, something might find you.
The Signal Process
Finding a signal is just step one. Once you've got it recorded onto a drive, you have to process it. There’s a dedicated machine for this. You put the drive in, click "Process," and wait. Each level of processing (Level 1 to Level 3) makes the signal clearer and worth more points.
But here’s the kicker: some signals shouldn't be listened to. You’ll hear things. Static that sounds like screaming, weird rhythmic thumping, or even actual voices. This is where the game’s atmosphere really kicks in. You’re a scientist, but you’re also a witness to things that shouldn't exist. If you get a signal that looks like a skull or a weird geometric shape on the preview monitor, you might want to think twice before sending it to your bosses. Or do it anyway for the money. Life is expensive.
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Maintenance is Your New Best Friend
Your satellite dishes break. Constantly.
You’ll see a notification on your main console telling you which dish is down (like Alpha or Romeo). You can't just fix it from your desk. You have to get out there. Grab your ATV—which is finicky and loves to flip over—and drive out into the woods. The map is surprisingly large. If you lose your way at night without a flashlight, good luck.
Repairing a dish involves opening the maintenance panel and resetting the server. It sounds mundane, but doing this at 3:00 AM while hearing footsteps behind you changes the vibe entirely. You also need to keep an eye on your "Server Stability." If the servers at the base go down, you lose your ability to process signals. You'll find yourself running to the basement to reset breakers more often than you'd like. It's a job. A stressful, terrifying job.
Managing Your Points and Upgrades
The "Store" on your computer is how you survive. You start with basically nothing. Your first priority should be a "Crowbar." You'll need it to open crates scattered around the woods. These crates contain food, scrap, and sometimes rare items that can save your life.
After that, focus on:
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- Signal Processing Speed: Makes the waiting game less painful.
- Drive Capacity: Let's you store more signals.
- The Drone: This is how you send your signal boxes to the researchers. Make sure you actually put the drives in the box before calling the drone, otherwise you just wasted a lot of effort for zero points.
Don't buy the fancy stuff early on. You need the basics. Buy food. Buy sponges to clean the floors (yes, cleaning actually matters for your sanity). If you don't keep the place somewhat tidy, your character's "Sanity" stat drops, and that's when the hallucinations start. Or are they hallucinations? In this game, it's hard to tell.
Dealing with the Unexpected
Eventually, things will happen. You’ll see lights in the sky that aren't stars. You might find a wooden mannequin standing in your hallway that definitely wasn't there five minutes ago.
How to play Voices of the Void effectively means learning when to hide and when to work. If you hear a loud bang outside, you have a choice. You can go look—and potentially see something that ends your run—or you can lock the doors, hide under the desk, and wait for morning. The game uses a "Day" system. As the days progress, the events get weirder and more aggressive.
The "Arirals" are a big part of the community discussion. They're an alien race that might be watching you. They might steal your food. They might leave you gifts. Or they might knock you unconscious if you annoy them. Building a "reputation" with them is a hidden mechanic. If you leave out shrimp—their favorite food—they might become friendly. If you try to track them down with a camera, they’ll probably break your windows.
Technical Tips for New Players
The game is built on Unreal Engine but has a very distinct "Source Mod" feel. You can interact with almost every object. You can pick up a chair and throw it. You can stack crates to climb onto the roof. Use this to your advantage.
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If your ATV gets stuck—and it will—look for the "Reset ATV" button in the pause menu or use the physics of the game to nudge it loose. Also, keep your "Digital Map" updated. You can buy modules that show you where entities are located on the map. This is basically a "horror detector." If you see a red dot moving toward your base, it’s time to check the cameras.
The cameras are your best line of defense. You can cycle through the satellite dish feeds from your main desk. If a dish goes offline and you see something "standing" next to it on the camera, maybe wait until the sun comes up to go fix it.
Why the Sandbox Mode Matters
If the main story mode is too stressful, try the Sandbox mode. It lets you mess with the signals and the physics without the constant threat of starving or being hunted by space entities. It’s a great way to learn the signal-finding mechanics without the pressure of a looming "Game Over."
However, the real meat of the game is the Story Mode. The scripted events are spaced out perfectly to make you feel safe right before pulling the rug out from under you. One day you’re just a guy eating a bag of chips and listening to space static, and the next day you’re barricading the vents because something is scratching on the other side.
Actionable Steps for Your First Week
To hit the ground running, follow this loose structure for your first few in-game days.
- Day 1: The Cleanup. Don't even worry about signals yet. Spend the first day bagging trash and cleaning the main floor. Put the trash bags in the item box and sell them. Use those points to buy a Crowbar and some canned food.
- Day 2: The First Signal. Head to the computer. Practice finding a signal. Look for the "Polarity" and "Frequency" matches. Record it, process it to at least Level 1, and send it off.
- Day 3: Exploration. Take the ATV out. Find the nearest dishes. Get a feel for the paths so you don't get lost when a storm hits. Look for crates near the towers.
- Day 4: Security. Buy a couple of extra cameras if you can afford them. Place them at the main entrance and the back door. Knowledge is power in this game.
- Day 5 and Beyond: Keep the loop going. Always have a signal processing in the background while you’re out doing maintenance. Never let your hunger drop below 20%.
The beauty of this game is that it doesn't hold your hand. You'll fail. You'll get scared. You'll probably accidentally delete a high-value signal because you pressed the wrong button. That's fine. It's all part of the isolation. Just remember to keep the doors locked at night and don't stop the recording. Whatever is out there, the bosses at the lab want to hear it.