Aether's Veil

"Survival of the fittest."

- Tagline of the E3 2014 teaser.

Aether's Veil is an action-based role-playing video game developed by Zenith and published by OnyxWare as an exclusive for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 video game consoles. The game was announced and subsequently teased by Sony Computer Entertainment in conjunction with OnyxWare during E3 2014 on June 17. Aether's Veil  was officially released worldwide on November 8, 2015.

The main storyline is predicated on Aether: a floating city that was created by the United States government following a massive crime wave. In the aftermath, a large amount of convictions were achieved, but the overall prison population began reaching maximum capacity. Seeing this as a looming obstacle, congressmen voted to institute a new prison system codenamed "Aether". At first, officials were unsure of where to implement the system; certain ideas were proposed to put the system on land, but it was ultimately decided that Aether would be constructed in the Pacific Ocean. Years pass, and by the late 2030s, assistance from the United Nations culminated in the completion of Aether.

The plot takes place several years into Aether's construction and revolves around a man by the name of Preston Callahan, who was wrongfully accused of murdering a senator. Dumped into Aether following a speedy trial, Preston is forced to survive by any means necessary in the city, which has been mostly engulfed by chaotic gang wars.

Aether's Veil was commercially successful and received high critical acclaim.

Gameplay
Aether's Veil is a role-playing game at heart, but is highly influenced by action and stealth aspects. The player is given the option of how they play, however. The character the player controls is Preston, and the experience is presented from a third-person perspective.

Combat
Combat is a fundamental component of the game. The player is at first ill-equipped to handle more than one enemy in a fight, but as the game progresses, the player can receive upgrades that can give them a temporary buffer or a cybernetic/nanotech implant which can permanently affect their play style. As a concept, combat is balanced. The player can acquire a variety of weapons and gadgets that can assist them during a firefight.

Exploration
In Aether, the player can roam freely. At first, certain regions are inaccessible, but as you get farther into the game, you can explore different areas that were once locked or otherwise unapproachable. Aether is divided into several different regions; each with their own characteristics and dangers.

Regions

 * Region 1: "Pythia"
 * Region 2: "Moros"
 * Region 3: "Vertumnus"
 * Region 4: "Lauma"
 * Region 5: "Zurvan"
 * Region 6: "Erebus"
 * Region 7: "Pluto"
 * Region 8: "Barastyr"
 * Region 9: "Xibalba"

Navigational Upgrades
Stealth Upgrades

Pistols

 * P226R
 * M45 MEUSOC
 * HK45

Gadgets

 * Diptera Cam: A type of UAV with a mounted camera that operates using gyro-based rotors.
 * Lola: A radio-controlled (RC) car that carries a small amount of C4. Useful for ambushes and long-distance demolition objectives.
 * DarMa (Dark Matter) Proximity Mine: A type of mine containing a small but lethal charge of dark energy that will explode when an enemy comes within its radius.

Development
When it was announced that up-and-coming developer Zenith and publisher OnyxWare would be spearheading a surprise reveal at E3 2014, many rumors began to spread and anticipation ran high. On June 17 during the final days of the year's Entertainment Electronic Expo, Sony Computer Entertainment and OnyxWare both held a conference regarding the surprise. OnyxWare CEO Scott Hernandez and Zenith creative director Roderick Brown both appeared on stage to announce Aether's Veil. Moments after, a teaser trailer was shown to the audience. The trailer was met with a thunderous applause and cheering from the audience. Hernandez and Brown were later interviewed by Geoff Keighley and the two discussed the development of the game.

Setting
Aether's Veil takes place in the late 2030s; a specific date is not given. The primary setting of the game is the Aether: a city which was created as a substitute for the United States' prison system. In Aether, inmates have created their own communities. Others sought to dominate the city and rule the populace. Because of the power struggle that has taken place, many gang wars erupted and left parts of the city in complete ruin. While the inmates fight or try to survive, a privately funded military group known as Tartarus monitors the city with the help of a Paladin class A.I. construct nicknamed Maximus, which controls the basic functions of Aether such as the water supply, electricity, and region access points.

Characters

 * Preston Callahan: The main protagonist.
 * Alexander Caine
 * Maximus
 * Seth "Stuart" DeWitt
 * President Fletcher Wells
 * Commander Jonathan Wheeler

Endings
The game features multiple endings that will be affected by what the player does and chooses during the story (see "Choices" above).