Stayin' Alive

In the dry outskirts of Southern California...

Sunburnt hills give way to sagebrush flats, the whole desert holding its breath between day and dusk. Red-tailed hawks drift like shadows on the wind, coyotes slip in and out of their dens, their eyes glinting silver in the light.

And then, beneath it all, the endangered Stephens’ kangaroo rat emerges. Small. Swift. Endlessly outmatched. But stubbornly trying to stay alive.

Every rustle might be danger. Every seed might save your life. Can you gather enough to revive your population before the desert claims you?

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INSTRUCTIONS:

Use WASD to dart across the shrublands, then interact with E to stuff your cheek-pouches with seeds and haul them back to your den. 

Your mission is simple but urgent: collect food to survive, then breed and increase your population without becoming food yourself.  

Avoid predators. Everything out here is hungry. 

Your den is your sanctuary. Hide inside to avoid attacks; while burrowed, hold LeftShift to fast-forward time (3x) and plan your next dash. Bushes may also provide temporary shelter if you find yourself far from home...

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CREDITS:

All programming and art was done by our team of four. We credit Pixabay for all sound effects, and freepd.com for all music.