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Speaking Simulator

Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PC
Genre: Puzzle
Developer: Affable Games
Release Date: Jan. 30, 2020

About Rainier

PC gamer, WorthPlaying EIC, globe-trotting couch potato, patriot, '80s headbanger, movie watcher, music lover, foodie and man in black -- squirrel!

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'Speaking Simulator' (ALL) Free PC Update Adds Adds Co-op, Twitch Integration And More

by Rainier on March 19, 2020 @ 11:14 a.m. PDT

Speaking Simulator is an awkwardly hilarious physics game where an android struggles to appear human by flopping its lips and tongue around.

At the behest of an adorably malevolent but incredibly inept AI, venture forth into the human world as a robot built to live among them. Customize the android’s appearance, then utilize the latest in humanoid mouth technology to assimilate and ascend. How hard can talking to people be, anyway? Robots do not have social anxiety and existential dread...right?

Start off simple with first dates and job interviews, but as the android further ingrains itself into society, survive public speaking nightmares like wedding toasts and eulogies. Take too long between words or misplace the tongue and the robot will get nervous, causing its face to explode. Humans tend to find this suspicious. It’s hard to blend in when an android’s piston-powered tongue knocks out its teeth.

Simultaneously flail the tongue and maneuver lips with tricky controls to simulate human speech. Speaking Simulator utilizes the most realistic gibberish system in all of gaming, created with real linguistic theory. One hand controls tongue placement, requiring quick presses on red buttons inside the mouth. The other hand elongates or purses the lips to form words. PC players can use webcams to control the android’s mouth movements.

Chase a high score in each level by sounding like a natural speaker. Unlock new upgrades adding layers of difficulty and increasing the score threshold. Use Socio-Optic Dynamics to make just the right amount of eye contact and Expressive Facial Pistons for some good ol’ human eyebrow wiggling. When all that stress is too much, blow off steam at a club in Self Expression Mode, where humans and robots can dance the night away. 

Speaking Simulator upgrades today with free content including co-op via Steam Remote Play, improved controls, a smoother difficulty curve, and Twitch integration that enables viewers to directly simulate speech.

Turns out manipulating a robot capable of simulating human speech in awkward social situations comes with a few difficulties. Starting today, Steam Remote Play’s co-op capabilities make it possible to divvy up the control responsibilities between multiple players. Those lucky enough to have a real “human” friend in close proximity can play couch co-op. Work together to manipulate the mandibles and waggle the android’s synthetic, unruly tongue.

To ensure a suave smooth-talking experience, Affable listened to fan feedback and made tongue control more responsive. A new difficulty system takes advantage of these tighter controls: players can decide how much of the android they want to manipulate. On higher difficulties, more parts of the robot come into play, such as its eyebrows. Each extra upgrade module enabled in social interactions increases the score multiplier. 

In hopes of expediting the robots’ rise to power over the world, Speaking Simulator now has Twitch integration. Typing commands like “mouth open” into chat while watching a favorite streamer play allows viewers to directly impact the game. Help or harm streamers, or interact with Affable’s Twitch channel to see how well a hivemind can infiltrate humanity. Contribute to the beginning of man’s downfall today at 1PM EDT on Affable’s channel.

“Delegating responsibilities and working together to control Speaking Simulator’s robot is hilarious,” said Jed Dawson, co-founder at Affable Games. “We also think it makes our game more approachable, so we look forward to new players embracing our strange universe.”

For a limited time, players can purchase Speaking Simulator at a 35% discount on Steam, bringing the price down to just under $10 USD.

Key Features:

  • Make your way through 10 different social scenarios such as job interviews, eulogies, doctor examinations, and romantic conversations.
  • Upgrade yourself with the latest in social technology. Learn to smile, raise an eyebrow, and awkwardly glance away from eye contact, just like in real life!
  • The most realistic gibberish system ever seen in gaming. Play within a dynamic audio system that reacts to tongue and mouth movement.
  • Replayability: With a huge array of different failure facial explosions, every conversation is hilarious and unique.
  • Fantastically beautiful tongue graphics. Finely tuned spit particles.
  • Adaptive soundtrack which changes as you enter different parts of your conversation.
  • Highly polished dialogue and delightful narrative.
  • Take part in the human self expression known as dance.
  • Customize your robot to make it feel like your own.
  • A surprisingly good portrayal of social anxiety.

Speaking Simulator is currently available on Nintendo Switch and PC/Mac (Steam).


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