In anticipation of the upcoming World Mental Health Day, game developer Artifact 5 has recently announced that their soon-to-be-released surreal adventure video game, "Anamorphine," is also coming soon to the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Virtual Reality (VR), aside from the PC.
"Anamorphine" tells the story of Tyler as he explores his significant experiences in the past to confront the issues he is currently having with his wife Elena, who falls prey to depression that snatches her of the ability to perceive things and moments positively. No dialogue or in-depth interaction would be included in the gameplay, and players just have to choose whether to confront or escape some scenes in Tyler's past.
"You won't be clicking buttons to navigate. Instead, we lean into visuals and evocative 3D sound, guiding you where you need to go to work through the life events and emotions that feel like they've sculpted themselves into a cage," explained Samantha Cook, co-founder of Artifact 5, in the official announcement.
"They'll show you how to look back at your past – only to have it shatter around you like a torn-up Escher painting. You'll have to face the future, when living in your past may seem like a vastly more tempting option. By the end, your glass can be half full or half empty, and it's your choice that determines how Tyler deals with his past and moves into his future," she added.
"Anamorphine" was initially announced back in March, along with a short story trailer of the game. Bordering on hallucinogenic, the absence of dialogue in the gameplay takes players to a whole new level of mission-solving, as they delve deep into Tyler's subconscious.
The game developers also encourage the players to take their time and explore the rich setting of the game, so as to properly move forward with the game's pace.
The game would be compatible with Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, and although there is no official release date yet, "Anamorphine" will also come to the Xbox One after it is released to other platforms.
