Annapurna Interactive: SGF Play Days Impressions

At Summer Game Fest Play Days, Annapurna Interactive held a blitz of short, 20-minute demos for a handful of indie titles. In a neat retro-inspired space, RPGamer sat down for an early look at a lineup of three interesting games: Demi and the Fractured Dream by Yarn Owl Studios, D-topia by Marumittu Games, and Forever Ago by Third Shift.

Demi and the Fractured Dream

The Voidsent Demi faces the horizon of a desert temple.

Demi and the Fractured Dream feels like a truly classic action adventure title, and its soft, colorful, and somewhat dark visual style is immediately eye-catching and very pleasing to look at. The titular character, Demi, who is a “Voidsent,” wakes up in a temple-like area and, with his sword, immediately sets off inside. A character named Xaon informs him that he’s intruding into a sacred place and will be repelled by any means necessary. The dungeon exploration feels very classic, reminiscent of older 3D Zelda titles, with some really fun and engaging puzzle-based dungeons that require smart use of Demi’s tools and spells. The combat is incredibly fluid and responsive, with dodging feeling especially satisfying; well-timed dodges activate Demi’s void abilities, which add some nice variety and visual flair. There appeared to be some light RPG progression involved, with Demi able to upgrade Might, Agility, Health, and his Void abilities. While the game didn’t reveal much about its plot, there’s a compelling and suspicious aura of mystery around Demi and the environment that promises an intriguing world and experience.

D-topia

The Facilitator’s job is to help others!

D-topia was the biggest question mark of the lineup, but it was pleasantly surprising and the most thought-provoking. It takes place in a futuristic, crisp, and sanitized-looking city called D-topia, which is part of a wider project known as the Utopia Project. Essentially, AIs run the city with the express goal of maximizing human happiness and comfort. The story focuses on the player character, who is the newest “Facilitator,” a role that involves traveling around the city and helping citizens repair mechanical issues to ensure the city runs smoothly. Gameplay involves solving logic-based puzzles, which are generally well-designed and make for a relaxed but engaging experience. There are some really compelling themes about a post-scarcity society, the role of labor, and the search for meaning and happiness. Further, as with any story about a utopia, there are hints that, despite the AI’s and humanity’s best efforts, it’s not all sugar and rainbows.

Forever Ago

Alfred flashes back, trying to escape painful memories.

Forever Ago, put simply, is a very emotional title — so much so that it caused me to cry quite hard near the end of the demo. The story follows Alfred, an old man with a long gray beard and glasses, as he sets off on a road trip in his camper. The demo begins with him driving up to an old convenience store owned by his old friend Karl. Alfred hasn’t seen him in quite some time, but upon entering to purchase supplies, he learns Karl is no longer present most of the time, with a young man named Milton overseeing the store in his stead. As he walks around to buy items, Alfred finds the overbearing Milton extremely annoying while reminiscing about the past.

The game then flashes back to the 1970s, showing a young Karl and his lover, Audrey, hanging out near Karl’s shop, where they share a sincere, sweet exchange of affection. Audrey hints that she thinks Karl is sweet, but that Alfred will always be her true love. The flashback then accelerates, flashing forward and hinting at Alfred and Audrey’s long marriage and Audrey’s eventual serious illness. During this scene, there’s a really beautiful display of trees, flowers, and petals sprouting, almost like they’re swallowing Alfred in a bittersweet growth, and it felt like a visceral, artistic display of sadness, dread, and PTSD. The demo ended with a clearly distressed Alfred noticing an old picture of Karl, Audrey, and himself, and demanding that Milton hand it over, before storming out of the store with it. It was very refreshing to see a game with an older protagonist, and the visuals and emotional themes here were beautiful and masterfully executed.