As Surreal As It Is Saddening
Many video games have a story they want to tell. Sometimes it takes a back seat to its brilliantly crafted game mechanics, other times its woven into its crisp settings, and if you have a big enough budget it can take place over the course of an eighty hour campaign. However, recent years have seen a surge of new releases that are short in duration, production value and even basic gameplay, yet their respective subject matters are presented with such potency they manage to both inspire and break the hearts of any player who delves into its narrative.
They may not have the budget of The Witcher 3, but there can be no denying that titles such as Firewatch and That Dragon, Cancer hit us all on a profound level.
Given how games such as these are able to tackle a myriad of difficult topics in the most creative of ways, it should come as no surprise to hear that there is another one of these heartbreakers due for release come the end of 2018, one that chooses to focus on the complex and tragic machinations of mental illness.
According to an article on PC Gamer –Â
Developer Artifact 5 has taken on a heavy challenge with Anamorphine, which the studio calls a “surreal first-person exploration game of rendered emotions.” Protagonist Tyler falls into post-traumatic denial as his wife Elena sinks into depression after an accident “that robs her of her livelihood and emotional outlet.”
Elena is, or at least was, a cellist, which lies at the heart of Anamorphine’s dialogue-free narrative and frequently comes up in its audio-visual motif, all hideously coiled strings and shattered bridges.
In some instances the shattered pieces of Elena’s cello reach out to Tyler, providing stepping stones on his journey through abstract dreamscapes and harsh depictions of his own decaying psyche. Tyler is as powerless before Elena’s depression as he is his own guilt, and turns to “easy escapes” like substances as the story progresses.
Anamorphine was originally slated to release January 16, 2018, but to allow for “a few final weeks of polish,” it has been delayed to late winter or early spring.
Be sure to check out the trailer for Anamorphine below, as well as our video on what we believe to be the Top 10 Video Games That Will Make You Cry.