Elegy for a Dead World
| Elegy for a Dead World | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Dejobaan Games Popcannibal Games |
| Publisher(s) | Dejobaan Games |
| Designer(s) | Ichiro Lambe Ziba Scott |
| Engine | Unity |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows OS X Linux |
| Release |
|
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Elegy for a Dead World is a side-scrolling exploration game where the player writes a diary visible to other players. The player explores three worlds inspired by British romantic poets Shelley, Byron, and Keats. While exploring, the player makes notes on their observations. The notes are publicly visible via Steam Workshop. The collective note taking mechanic earned it an honorable mention for the Nuovo Award in the 2014 Independent Games Festival.[1]
Development
Developer Ziba Scott credits the theme of the game with his love for British romantic poetry.[2] Shelley's world, for example, was inspired by Percy Bysshe Shelley's famous poem, Ozymandias. Developer Ichiro Lambe is exploring the intimacy created through collaborative writing.[3]
Reception
Early critical reception has focused on the novelty of the note taking mechanic,[4][5] and the emphasis on narrative storytelling over action.[6]
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Hardcore Gamer | 4/5[7] |
Hardcore Gamer gave the game a 4 out of 5, saying "Elegy for a Dead World may be a jarring departure from traditions, but unlike the more pretentious attempts at alternative gaming experiences we’ve seen in recent times, this is one idea that should be encouraged."[7]
References
- ^ "2014 IGF Finalists"
- ^ "Why so serious, Dejobaan?" on IndieGames.com
- ^ "The Write Stuff" on Eurogamer
- ^ "Shelly They Can't be Serious" on Rock, Paper, Shotgun
- ^ [1] on Joystiq
- ^ Douglas Heaven (22 May 2014). "ButtonMasher: Storytelling beats action in new games". NewScientist. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ^ a b Khan, Jahanzeb (11 December 2014). "Review: Elegy for a Dead World". Hardcore Gamer. Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved 14 December 2014.