3) Her Story
As I have mentioned before, the continued evolution of just what a “game” is was one of the more interesting conversations of 2015. It would be foolish if we didn’t recognize that there are many ways for us to play something, and not everything has to adhere to the traditional guidelines of gaming.
One of the best titles that represents this evolution is Sam Barlow’s Her Story, which saw a release on both PC and iOS this year. While the story, which concerns a murder investigation, is plum for a generic adventure, Mr. Barlow has crafted a supremely unique take on the investigation.
Unlike, say, Batman: Arkham Knight, piecing together the murder of Simon Smith does not involve any fancy gadgets or methods. Instead, you’ll be sifting through hours of interview footage of the victim’s wife, and primary suspect, Hannah. However, since the system used to watch the footage is rather old, you can’t just watch everything at once. Instead, you’ll need to pluck out and enter specific keywords obtained from one clip in order to unlock another clip.
[zergpaid]It’s a simple and straightforward investigation technique, but one that feels more like detective work than any other game I can think of. The twists and turns the case takes can feel a little over the top, but those twists only drew me into Hannah’s web further.
No matter how well written the title is, though, Her Story would fall apart if it wasn’t for the performance of Viva Seifert. As the leading lady of a one-woman show, Seifert infuses her performance with real depth and emotional gravitas. It’s the best FMV performance I can think of, and without her carrying the heavy weight of Hannah, this would be just another interesting idea gone awry.
As it is, though, Her Story is a remarkable achievement that will keep you captivated until the very last reveal.