The game is a critique on the European Union’s handling of the migration crisis.’ Many thousands of migrants attempt to cross the Mediterranean sea each year in search of a better life. EU operations undertaken by their security organization, Frontex, uses methods that are often illegal and unacceptable, such as putting migrant boats back onto the open sea, to control the influx. 

The player in the game takes the role of a migrant out at sea on one of the common routes from Turkey to Greece. They can never make it to Greece, so the game is endless. The only way out on the path is to die. This is symbolic of the endlessness that comes with the life of a migrant. Even when they reach European lands, they are subjected to degrading conditions and are in limbo in terms of their citizenship for years.

StatusReleased
PlatformsWindows, macOS, HTML5
Rating
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
(1 total ratings)
Authorstarschumi

Download

Download NowName your own price

Click download now to get access to the following files:

WalkingSimWin.zip 84 MB
MacBuild.zip 93 MB

Development log

Comments

Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.

I loved making this game, It was fun to make the drawings and start page. 

What a neat concept and game experience. I really felt how flushed out this was and appreciate the obvious thought that went into the gaming experience one might have.  This is an incredibly difficult narrative to convey and a concept topic to put into a game but you did it very well. 

You got a deep meaning to this game. I was about to say that I don't know how can I pass and this game is too difficult, but now I know you made it impossible to pass on purpose. The background music creates a tense and depressive atmosphere which matches the background story of the game.

I love how it is like an infinite tunnel and It is like a virtual therapy to me. The simulation of the sea is also a big point, I love it 

You know what, this reminds me of the movie "Aquaman." I love the light, I mean the surrounding, which is so mimic.

Such a beautiful game! And I can feel a kind of loneliness that I have experienced in other games like "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild". Your game has its own unique temperament, and I like it!

I feel like narrativizing something that is as complex as a migration crisis is difficult on its own. Creating a game where there is no win state is a bold move. While for the gamer, it might not be the best of gameplay experiences, it is a bold choice that gets your message across, that in some stories, there are no happy endings. I think its commendable that you chose to approach such a sensitive topic and get your message across this well. I struggled to read some of the text on your illustrations, so maybe make those bigger. It would be an interesting exercise to think about this game in a traditional game loop sense though. If one were to have a win state, what would it be? Maybe just having a journey where the player remains alive but is unable to get to their preferred destination may also illustrate the cruelty of it all.

First, I think the start and end scenes of the game are what I really like. It brings other fun to the player in 2 seemingly simple and most unassuming scenes. The background of the game is also a very interesting point, and I really like that the ending of the game is open-ended, which gives the player more imagination. Of course, if you can add more players and game characters to interact with the mechanics will be more exciting.

I really love the idea that the game is endless. It is symbolic of the life of a migrant. It shows that how to use the game form to talk about serious social topics. I think that gameplay is too simple.  I think it can add a dialogue system. 

The gameplay itself is simple, yet not the context. A good example and a way to spread the discuss of the serious social topics, where game is more like a narrative container that introduces an interactive way of constructing an issue.

I agree with everyone's compliments below, the visuals are very serene but the music and premise make it feel very suspenseful. I think you took a very creative approach and found an impactful way to execute your idea. I'm also very impressed by the realism and detail in the boat. I also agree that the UI text can be a little bigger for legibility purposes and that there was a way to restart the game/end screen at the end so that you're not just falling forever.  Overall, great job and amazing concept! 

(1 edit)

This game showed me how games can be immersive mediums for serious narratives and the fact that you guys did it in 2 weeks show a lot of its potential. I also recalled the tension between literal metaphors and pure abstraction. I truly believe game engines are perfect places to find a place in the middle, to leverage languages, and gestures we've already picked up with older games and life experiences. Overall I love your directions and execution!

I played this game with grief in class and on my computer. it is great how you juxtapose the migrant's experience in the Mediterranean sea with Poseidone of Greek mythology. the nice satire illustration which I like. this role-playing experience gives me an opportunity to feel the migrants.  I thought it would be better if the UI font size is bigger so I could get the information quickly and clearly. 

Playing this game, I was thinking back to class. I remember there being a discussion about whether or not it was effective to incorporate both fictional and real-world content into this game, seeing as it deals with a serious topic, but I think in this case it worked well. There was a lot of context given to the reader and so the fictional elements did not take away from the real injustice occurring. If anything it felt as if you were calling to light the hypocrisy of the bodies seeking to prevent people from seeking asylum. This game was creative and I especially enjoyed the 2D graphics on the title screen and such.