In Focus: What Remains of Edith Finch

One of the most striking areas in What Remains of Edith Finch is the twins’ room. Designer Chris Bell picks out key

FORT-LESS

1 The room didn’t always have its distinctive opposing forts. Instead it was a ‘T’ shaped space — two lofted bunk beds joined by a single set of stairs between them. The forts idea came around the same time as Calvin’s death by swingset story.

SPACE RACE

4 Calvin’s love of space came because it paired well with the story of wanting to go high on a swingset. Sam’s story was themed around photography, so his side picks up those references with the darkroom, tripod and so on.

LOW ENTRY

2 Crawling into the room, you can only see Calvin’s side—a ten-year-old’s room. “The player gets an immediate read of ‘kids room’—but when they stand and turn and see Sam’s liquor and cigarettes and camera tripod, it’s a surprise,” says Bell.

SIGNPOSTING

5 To ensure players didn’t miss Calvin’s lookout, the team painted “To Command Center” in big letters on the stairs and added a sign above the lookout entrance. An electric cable traces the path, “drawing a literal line for them” says Bell.

MOVING ON

3 Little touches make it clear Sam outlived Calvin. Sam’s height marking on the door leave Calvin’s behind, Sam’s fort bridge has been taken down and the fort itself is used for box storage. Sam also has the aforementioned liquor and cigarettes.

BELL’S OWN HISTORY

6 “I had a blast designing this room … inspired by fond memories of building forts with my brother Stephen and little cousin Shane, roleplaying cops and robbers, or trying not to hurt each other while wrestling and playing King of the Hill Bed.”