Choice-driven, episodic narrative anthology presented through binaural audio
We tend to refer to “graphic adventures” but more and more games of late are making use of an entirely different sensory experience, such as Red Meat Games’ choice-driven audio game Project Dark, which is available now for PC, Switch and mobile devices.
There are actually six games in one, representing the “first anthology” of what is intended to be an ongoing series. Each episode stands alone with its own story, characters and setting that widely differ from the rest, including a dark medieval fantasy adventure in a magical cave, a hi-tech home invasion, trouble aboard a deep-sea submersible, and a literal blind first date in the darkness. The player’s role is the same in all of them, however, which is to “engage with the characters, learn about their stories, and make impactful decisions” that will determine the direction of the narrative.
The goal of Project Dark is to offer “the depth of an audio drama with the interactivity of a video game.” While there is a minor graphical component, the bulk of the experience is presented through “sophisticated binaural audio [that allows] players to become so engrossed in the experience that they can play with their eyes closed.” The “low-stress” mechanics are simple, achieved “all with the swipe of a finger” as you respond to different choices that lead to branching storylines and multiple possible endings, giving the game a high degree of replayability.
Originally launched on March 17th as a mobile exclusive on the App Store for iOS and Google Play for Android devices, Project Dark is now available on Steam for Windows PC, as well as the Nintendo eShop for Switch.
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