Release Date: 18/10/2017
Played On: Win
Available On: iOS / Mac / Win
Time Played: 1h
Progress: Completed
Developer: Laundry Bear Games
Publisher: Laundry Bear Games
I don't think I'll ever stop being amazed by just how enlightening and informative good story-telling can be. After all, the whole reason I love stories so much is that it's one of the few ways we are able to empathise and learn about lives that are different to our own. In some ways, it's the closest we'll ever get to certain experiences, so when a story is able to inform as well as entertain, It really is a beautiful experience.
Such is the way with games that use their unique interactive systems to draw you deep into a scenario, in ways that are rarely replicated elsewhere. Some of my favourite games have been pure experiential works that put aside the complex mechanics, and instead use their platform to tell a more immersive story.
A Mortician's Tale is one of these games, even though it may seem fairly light at first, with a limited palette of offerings. However, this short little game manages to use its time effectively, and bring you into a world that I suspect very few of us know much about. In fact, outside of films and books, I have very little knowledge when it comes to the kind of work a mortician conducts.
We play as Charlie, who has recently graduated and is learning how to navigate her way through the industry. During the game we're tasked with not only embalming dead bodies, but talking to families, and attending funerals. Each day usually follows the routine of dealing with a cadaver in the morning, then attending a funeral in the afternoon.
What makes this game a little special, is how it breaks up the mechanical gameplay of the job, and lets the story and dialogue speak for itself most of the time. Funerals in the game are a simple task of going around the room and talking to people attending. Most only have a couple of lines worth of dialogue to offer, and there aren't any deep conversation trees or anything, but what we do get is a soft sense of how different people deal with grief.
On the other side of the game is all the other work a mortician must undertake, such as cleaning and cremating bodies. This is where A Mortician's Tale stands out again, as it actually tasks you with performing each step of embalming a body and preparing it for whatever comes next. Of course, this includes some elements that might be a bit of a turn-off for some, but I found every step fascinating.
Perhaps I'm just a little ignorant with the process of embalming a body, but I never really considered the process in the kind of detail that this game offers. Fluids need to be drained, so incisions need to be made; while eyes need to be held shut, and everything needs to be stitched up in such a way that they are ready to be presented.
These are the kinds of things that often sound a bit cold and gruesome when you look at them as mechanical processes. However, the whole purpose of the process is one wrapped in care and dignity, which can feel dissonant to the actions being taken, but ultimately delivers an understanding about our bodies and where we all end up. It can be quite confronting to be faced with the stark reality of a dead body, but it's also one of those rare experiences that people like me rarely encounter.
While this is certainly a short and sweet little game, A Mortician's Tale manages to tell a nuanced story, while providing enough mechanical interaction to actually educate its players about an otherwise unknown industry. Don't get me wrong though, this isn't a simulator game that has realistic embalming systems and mechanics, as it's quite cartoon-ish and significantly simplified for the purposes of the game. Although, this shouldn't end up sounding hollow, as there is already enough in the short experience to have left me feeling like I had learned a lot by the time I was done.
It's easy to recommend a game like this, as there's very little barrier to entry, with the potential to gain more than the price of entry. What's more, the whole game is presented with a beautiful aesthetic that is easy to enjoy and always clear to interact with. Add to that a lovely soundtrack to compliment everything else, and we end up with proof that good things often come in small packages.
I suppose it's not far to compare a short little slice of a game with other experiences, so instead I prefer to consider whether I feel like my time was spent in a worthwhile way. After all, even the shortest uses of our time can end up being a total waste, but thankfully that isn't the case here. I'm not sure it would have worked in quite the same way if this game had been elongated or padded to increase the play-time. In fact, I would bet that a niche little game like this would become repetitive and shallow if it outstayed its welcome.
Thus, in many ways I don't think a game like A Mortician's Tale really needs to be any longer than it is; providing that it delivers on the experience and the story. While this game in particular doesn't lean too hard on the story-telling, it's the gameplay systems that show us into the back room of a misunderstood industry that really make it special.
On a more philosophical level, I very much enjoyed how death-positive this game was, even though that might seem obvious from the start. What struck me though, was just how consistently respectful and honest the game was about its subject matter. I'm not sure if another developer would have tried to soften the experience more, but I’m glad that we're given what appears to be a true slice of reality.
I don't think there's much more that I can say about A Mortician's Tale, other than re-emphasise just how well put together it is. This is precisely what I want from a small game; to be told a compelling story, or given a unique experience that wouldn't suit a larger scope. Thankfully this game delivers on both fronts, and by the time I was done playing I found myself feeling quite relaxed and serene for a while.
Perhaps there's something reassuring to be found when considering death as a reality and an everyday part of life, instead of assuming it will never happen. I suspect that's thanks to this game staying away from the morbid and grotesque, in order to teach us a little bit about the everyday lives of those who look after us once our bodies stop working. That seems like a nice thought, and it made for a nice gaming experience.