Release Date: 08/10/2020
Played On: Win
Available On: NS / Win
Time Played: 4h 45m
Progress: Completed
Developer: Hollow Ponds
Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
I've always been a fan of publishers and developers who work with a theme and focus on their own little niche. Not only does it mean you know what you're going to get from them, but it creates an identity for something that would otherwise be a faceless company. Lately, I've been seeing Annapurna Interactive's name come up in the credits for a number of neat little games with a quirky twist, so when I checked out I Am Dead, I was pleased to discover more of the same.
Then again, I suppose if you lean too far into a certain genre or niche, you might end up repeating yourself and releasing the same thing over and over again. In some ways I can see how Annapurna Interactive could fall into that trap, as they've produced a number of games with similar art styles and puzzling mechanics. Thankfully though, I like what they're focusing on, so my perception of the brand is only getting better as time goes on.
I Am Dead is a neat little game that uses puzzle solving mechanics to explore the narrative of a small town facing the imminent threat of volcanic eruption. We play as Morris, who has recently died (hence the title), and finds himself tasked with finding a spirit to take up the mantle of protecting the island from its prominent volcano. However, to find the spirits of townsfolk who have already passed on, we must explore their worlds and take a good poke around their things.
Searching for each spirit is the main part of the game, and each one ends up feeling like another level on the overall progression. Thankfully we have the spirit of our dog Sparky, who guides Morris through the game and explains all the spirit stuff along the way. Conceptually there's nothing too grand happening, but I really enjoyed how neat and tidy the narrative design was in I Am Dead, as it takes you through the history of the town in a smooth and digestible way.
As it happens, there's a number of items Morris needs to find in order to uncover each spirit, which drives the central loop of the gameplay. Thankfully the residents we're searching for, each inhabited a specific part of the island, keeping everything tidy and easy to follow as we look around for all the little trinkets and keepsakes that make up a life.
I can't express enough, just how beautiful it feels to discover a narrative in this way, as it always feels organic and natural. As Morris we are free to take our time and search each location at our own pace, but the more attention we pay to certain details, the more we are rewarded with the interesting lore and history of the town.
For example, there is a lighthouse that was converted into a yoga school by some hippie dude back in the day. As we search through each of the rooms and listen to the present-day students, we get a real sense for the kind of person this hippie dude was when he was alive. Punctuated by comments from Morris and Sparky as you go, the town's quirky history slowly reveals itself and provides plenty of impetus to continue with the fairly simple gameplay loop.
In fact, the puzzle mechanics benefit and suffer from their simplicity in equal measure. Sure the narrative is interesting to uncover and if you like the kind of story being told, you'll have a good time, but the puzzle system can be a little repetitive. At worst it's nothing more than a simple hidden object hunt, but at best there are some true brain-teasers to unravel.
The entire world in I Am Dead, can be intersected like a cross-section puzzle, giving us the ability to see into spaces that would otherwise be hidden. Each location is filled with objects and furniture that can be clicked on to zoom in and examine. Many containers have more objects inside them, which can be found by moving past the exterior and discovering what lies within. It's a simple mechanic, but a very satisfying one as I found it endlessly entertaining to pick up every object in a scene and figure out what was hiding inside.
Additionally, to uncover certain details about objects, we're given hints about certain shapes that need to be made in order to unlock some insight into the overall story. These shapes are made by intersecting a specific object, then rotating and manipulating it until it presents the same silhouette as the diagram we're trying to copy.
These shape puzzles aren't essential to the plot, and are offered as more of an optional challenge that can be tackled if you feel like it. However, given the simplicity and inevitability of finding every object in a scene if you spend enough time clicking on everything, I would have enjoyed some more challenging puzzles to be mandatory. While I enjoyed my time with I Am Dead and the simplistic puzzling required to reveal the plot, I think I would have liked it more if I'd actually had to stop and think about some head-scratchers a little more often.
Nevertheless, even though this isn't the most challenging puzzle game out there, it seems like a choice was made to balance out the difficulty in order to tell the story. Rather than offering a nail-biting challenge of puzzle complexity, we're given a pleasant stroll through the lives of a small community. In this way we're reminded that everyone has a story to tell and that we all have a history that only lives as long as we're remembered.
I'm reminded a little of another Annapurna Interactive title: What Remains Of Edith Finch, which needs no introduction as an excellent narrative game. Of course, these two games are nothing alike in so many ways, but they both employ some interesting mechanics to tell their story. Neither is all that difficult, but each benefits from the added flavour and interactivity that comes from the gameplay loop. Perhaps, much like in Edith Finch, the story of I Am Dead would not have been nearly as interesting, if I didn't have to complete the simple puzzles along the way and look through all the objects let behind from each spirit's life.
Thus, I can't help but feel satisfied when I think of I Am Dead, as it managed to tell the story it wanted to tell, in such a way that kept me engaged and ended up adding to the narrative. This is why I love narrative heavy video games, as even the slightest requirement for interactivity can elevate a story beyond itself and provide a much deeper experience for the player.
In this way, I Am Dead manages to achieve precisely what it sets out to do, and stands as another creative and unique narrative title in the Annapurna Interactive catalogue. I can only hope that this publisher continues to back games that tell stories in interesting ways, as I look forward to seeing what else I can get my hands on. Then again, a publisher is only as good as the developers it supports, so a big round of applause for Hollow Ponds, as they nailed I Am Dead and were able to deliver a compelling and creative experience.
I think it should be obvious that any short game worth talking about is outstanding in its own way, so keep an eye out for I Am Dead. It's beauty is found in its simplicity, and if you're the kind of gamer who likes different ways that games can tell stories, you won't be disappointed.