Framework Zero: Terminal Panic
You are hurtling through space aboard an industrial freighter. The crew already had their hands full with failing systems. But now there is a new threat on board. Something is hunting you. TERMINAL PANIC is a survival-horror "interactive fiction" text adventure RPG with '80s terminal aesthetics.
Released
21 Sep 2026
This year
N/A
VGDB Score
Overview
Summary
You are hurtling through space aboard an industrial freighter. The crew already had their hands full with failing systems. But now there is a new threat on board. Something is hunting you. TERMINAL PANIC is a survival-horror "interactive fiction" text adventure RPG with '80s terminal aesthetics.
Description
About This Game
Framework Zero: Terminal Panic drops you into the boots of a "space trucker" on a deep-space industrial haul that is in the process of going very, very wrong. There are no energy shields. There are no laser swords. There is only failing equipment, a fracturing crew, and the claustrophobic hum of the analog terminal that is your only lifeline.
Designed to be playable to completion within an hour or two but highly replayable, Framework Zero: Terminal Panic is a deliberate, slow-burn "cinematic" RPG experience inspired by the grounded, working-class sci-fi horror of the late 1970s and early 1980s. This is a game about isolation, mechanical failure, and taking calculated risks. You're not a hero. You're just trying to keep yourself and your crewmates alive.
CORE FEATURES
Keep the Machine Operational
This is not a typical text adventure. You're interacting with the ship's actual systems. The CRT interface, scanlines, and phosphor bleed represent the tactile, deteriorating hardware of an older ship that’s falling apart as it travels.
Tabletop Tactical Survival
Forget simply guessing the right verb to progress. Terminal Panic utilizes the "crunchy", 2d6-based RPG resolution system from the Framework Zero tabletop role playing game. Your character's core stats—Strength (STR), Dexterity (DEX), Intelligence (INT), Education (EDU), and Social (SOC)—directly impact your survival. Finding a toolbox isn't just flavor text; it’s the equipment advantage you just might need to pass a critical, life-or-death repair check.
Deliberate Tension
This is a slow burn—not just a series of jump-scares. Survival in Terminal Panic means monitoring failing life support, keeping the reactor from overheating, and managing your fraying crew.
Topological and Node-Based Map
The greatest enemy in text adventures is often just getting lost. To help mitigate this, your terminal features an Topological and Node-Based map that updates in real-time as you navigate the ship. This will help you keep track of where you are, and where others are... where other things are.
Manage the Panic
You aren't alone—but your crewmates are just as terrified as you are. Manage a fractured crew, from the weary veteran Captain to the panicked systems engineer. Use your Social (SOC) stat and Leadership skill to issue orders. Use your Liaison skill to manage their stress and coordinate repairs. A panicked crew is a dead crew.
Who knows? You might even find a spark of romance and hope that lights up the darkness. (Briefly. Before you and your "love interest" subplot die a horrible, horrible death. Maybe. … Probably.)
A Standalone Entry in The Adfinitas Chronicles Universe
While the events of Terminal Panic are a self-contained nightmare, the game features the same used-future/industrial sci-fi technologies found in The Adfinitas Chronicles novels by Mark Sheppard. You don't need to have read the books to enjoy Terminal Panic, but fans of the series will recognize the gritty, analog-tech setting.
SURVIVE THE SHIFT
Investigate issues and events that require your attention (and intervention).
Scavenge the ship for tools and secure vital materials.
Roll against the odds using Framework Zero’s tabletop RPG mechanics.
Try not to die…
System Initializing...
Awaiting command input...
