Hello Stranger to be introduced on Steam in May

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

New FMV psychological thriller unveiled by the director of The Complex, Five Dates and The Gallery

So many of our daily activities are now (or can be) automated that we could practically live our lives without ever leaving home. For the protagonist of Aviary Studios' upcoming FMV psychological thriller Hello Stranger, that scenario becomes a very frightening imposed reality – although it remains to be seen just how much life he has left to live. 

Cam is a man who "conducts life exclusively from his smart home – work, shopping, entertainment and, most notably, socialising." The latter is done through the titular platform, a "randomised video chatting application" that lets him interact with strangers online. It isn't nearly as secure as he thinks, however, and Cam's life is suddenly turned upside down when he encounters a "masked stranger with an altered voice" who hacks into Cam's smart home and traps him inside. Even more unnerving is that the stranger tells Cam that his very life depends on winning three rounds of games. Players must complete these games on Cam's behalf and "make choices that will ultimately determine his fate." Succeed and he'll survive, but "one wrong move could lead to a grisly end."

If the name Aviary Studios doesn't ring an immediate bell, chances are you're familiar with some of its work, as it's run by London filmmaker Paul Raschid, director of other FMV thrillers including The Complex, Five Dates, Ten Dates, The Gallery and Deathtrap Dungeon: The Golden Room. As with those games, Hello Stranger is an interactive movie filmed using live actors, with key choices to make to drive the story forward. The accomplished cast here includes George Blagden (Vikings), Danny Griffin (Fate: The Winx Saga), Christina Wolfe (The Ark and FBI International), Kulvinder Ghir (Foundation and Goodness Gracious Me), Laura Whitmore (Queenie), Yasmin Finney (Heartstopper) and a star supporting turn by the award-winning Sir Derek Jacobi.

With over four hours of filmed content, there are many ways players can impact the narrative, tracked through a graphic "story tree" as you progress so you can see where your actions have created a divergence. With ten possible endings, the game is meant for replays to go back and experiment with other choices, as all of them "need to be seen to understand the full picture." What separates Hello Stranger from most FMV games, however, including Raschid's own, is the inclusion of 16 varied minigames, ranging in style from cards to arcade, with some as a simple as rock-paper-scissors or following the hidden ball in a shell game. But for those who'd prefer to enjoy the story without the pressure of forced minigames, an optional "Cinema Mode" will involve "limited games that only function with a decision-making system – closer to an interactive film experience." Another choice of game modes is between timed choices and paused choices, the latter ideal for group play so you can coordinate answers – after all, the stakes are life and death. 

Hello Stranger is due to launch on Steam for Windows and Mac sometimes in May, so in the meantime, maybe unplug and get out a bit while you still can. 

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