Key & Compass presents:
A D R I F T
by Pinkunz

In this short survival game, you play as a cosmonaut and a victim of accidental explosive decompression. By good fortune, you were wearing your spacesuit at the time. But now you're adrift in the void, facing a sun, unable to even turn around. Find a way back to the space shuttle or you're going to die out here.

This solution is by David Welbourn, and is based on Release 1 of the game.

SPOILERS AHEAD. Reading a walkthrough prematurely can sometimes diminish one's enjoyment of an interactive fiction game. Please make an honest effort to play the game before reading this walkthrough.

Map
Walkthrough
Extras
- Artwork, Characters, Inventory
Thank You to my Patreon supporters
Support me on Ko-Fi
External links:
- This game at CASA, IFDB, and IFWiki.
- Follow me at Bluesky, Ko-Fi, Mastodon, Patreon, and Wordpress.

Map

Walkthrough

Note that UNDO is forbidden in this game.

And as far as I know, this game is merciful on the cruelty scale. In particular, while your air supply gets progressively lower and lower, you never quite run out of air completely.

The Void

> x me. x readout. x suit.

> x pouch. x attachment. x tether.

> i. x gloves.

> x helmet. x visor. x spotlight.

> x spinner. think about Lyudmila.

> spin spinner.

>> SPACESPACE

(your eyes need time to adjust)

You've turned around but lost the spinner. Your eyes need turn to adjust.

> z. z. z. (An indistinct object appears.)

> x object.

> z. z. z. z. z. (Your vision clears.)

> x crate. x stars. z.

Periphery of the Buran

> take crate.

It's very difficult to guess the command for attaching your tether to the crate.

> swing crate —or— lasso crate.

>> SPACESPACESPACE

The Outside of the Buran

You can't examine the Buran.

> in.

The Open Cargo Bay

> x button. push button. (The doors close. Oxygen fills the room.)

The Closed Cargo Bay

> fore.

Congratulations! Credit given where credit is due. Come on back, y'all!

*** The End ***

Extras

Artwork

These are thumbnails of some (but not all) of the artwork in the game. Please play the game to see the artwork in its intended sizes and contexts.

Legs and letters
The Void
Outside the Buran
The Cargo Bay

Characters

This is very much a solo adventure, but there are a couple mentions.

Lyudmila is your fiance. She gave you the fidget spinner. You miss her and you call her Mila.
Federov and one other cosmonaut were aboard the Buran when the accident happened. You think you were the only one suited up.

Inventory

a helmet, some gloves, and a flex spacesuit. You're wearing them.

You cannot remove any of them; you'd die.
The suit has a pouch; open the pouch to find the fidget spinner inside.
The suit has an attachment with the remains of your safety tether attached; see crate.
The suit has a readout; examine it to check your oxygen levels.
The suit has boots; their electromagnets let you walk on the outside of a space vehicle.
The helmet has a visor which is preventing you from being blinded by the sun.
The helmet has a spotlight useless in this situation.

a fidget spinner. It's inside your suit's pouch.

Spin the spinner. This turns you away from the sun. You lose the toy, but this is the first step in rescuing yourself.

a Supply Crate. It floats within reach when your eyes finally adjust in the "Periphery of the Buran".

Swing (or lasso) the crate (with your tether) to fling yourself to just outside the Buran.

Thank You to my Patreon supporters

This walkthrough is provided free of charge since the work it's based on has less than fifteen locations. Please consider it a thank you for your support!

I create larger walkthroughs too! Please visit my Patreon account if you're interested in helping me create more interactive fiction walkthroughs. I appreciate all the help I can get! Thanks again.

Ko-Fi is a way to send me small one-time donations. Every little bit helps, and thank you!

Key & Compass presents: A D R I F T by Pinkunz