Remaining Grace unveiled in its early state

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Upcoming "intimate ghost story" from a new indie team founded by the lead designer of Dreamfall Chapters

Why do ghosts linger on earth? It's a popular question in modern fiction, and usually boils down to one of two things: being tethered by anger (mean ghosts) or having unfinished business and an unwillingness to let go (nice, if often confused, ghosts). The ethereal star of Remaining Grace is very much one of the latter, as we'll find out in the debut narrative adventure from ambedo studios, a new indie team founded by Quintin Pan, the lead designer of Dreamfall Chapters.

Grace Tao has been dead and cremated for three years, and yet for some reason her spirit is suddenly "pulled back." But why, and why now? Granted the ability to inhabit living bodies and reflect back on three important periods from Grace's life, players must guide her soul "through the interconnected lives of those she left behind." By transferring from one person (or animal) to the next, you will have the opportunity to "explore how her passing shaped those left in her wake." And as you being to "piece together a non-linear mosaic of lives and relationships," you might just be able to solve the mystery of her untimely death as well. 

The game takes place on Turtle Island, an "alternate-history North America that was never colonized," in which "the ethnic mix of Indigenous and diaspora live under a very different set of cultural norms" from our own. Against this backdrop, Remaining Grace promises a "multi-layered tale that delves into a beautiful mess of complex relationships and chosen family." With its highly stylized "pencil sketch" aesthetic, it certainly doesn't look anything like most ghost stories. And indeed, the experience is not about scares or haunting, but rather a heartfelt celebration of "life, love, and human connection."

Gameplay consists of transferring Grace's spirit through physical contact across a "constellation of relationships: her Chinese immigrant parents, her adopted sister, the father of her child, her dad’s new wife, and the childhood bestie that never got over her." Through this "diverse ensemble" you'll visit a variety of locations such as "parks, tea houses, and her childhood home." Along the way you'll be "exploring the intricacies of this ghostly world" and gradually uncovering new details surrounding Grace's demise, and in the process offering her a last chance to say goodbye. 

There is no target release date just yet, but Remaining Grace will be coming to Steam for Windows and Mac. In the meantime, it's one of the games selected for the PAX West Rising Showcase, set to begin on September 4th.