YOU WILL (NOT) REMAIN

DEVELOPER Bedtime Phobias PRICE Free AVAILABILITY Released WEBSITE https://store.steampowered.com/app/1776160/You_Will_Not_Remain/

Apparently, lockdowns in Australia are over. Hooray? If you’re still working from home, or choosing seclusion, You Will (Not) Remain may be a suitable accompaniment to one of today’s many coffee breaks. (And if you’re at home because you actually have Covid, I hope you’re OK and recover quickly.) Part metaphor, part apocalypse, this is a story of routine, courage and many other thought-provoking things. I didn’t find it distressing, but please read the developers’ content warnings, in case you’d prefer not to engage with related topics, right now.

Made during Woman Game Jam, it’s free to play, short and linear, like an interactive short story, although how you choose to interact will affect the minutiae of your experience. A violet cloud menaces the city. The radio is a source of information, instruction and memories. Nightmares obscure reality and you may find comfort with an unlikely companion, as the action unfolds over several, strikingly similar, days. Questions are raised, but not always answered, which I found to be quite compelling. It’s a neat, polished and balanced experience.

I recognised the work of artist, T-Dog eXtreme, because I loved their previous game; Symposium of Grief. Sound is also a highlight and the composer, Talia Raso, told me her process was inspired by the limitations of GameBoy systems, in terms of tone colour and texture. I love the obvious attention paid to the detail of Lambshanks’ evocative bark, in particular. You Will (Not) Remain did remain in my thoughts for some time after I played it, especially because Omicron makes venturing out more confusing. Whether or not to play is an easier decision.