Screenshots: All the Delicate Duplicates

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Screenshots is a regular feature by Simon Groth, highlighting a project, app, or other resource of interest.

All the Delicate Duplicates
By Mez Breeze and Andy Campbell

Can a first-person gaming environment be used to tell a story? Of course! But, typically in experiences of this type, the balance between story and game falls heavily on the side of the latter. With All the Delicate Duplicates, Mez Breeze and Andy Campbell seek to turn that convention on its head.

The focus of Delicates is on John, a single father who inherits a collection of arcane objects from his mysterious relative named Mo. These are no ordinary objects, though and they lead John and his daughter Charlotte deeper into Mo’s memories and mysteries, changing reality around them.

The game world—filled with beautiful and haunting imagery, soundscapes, and more than a few startling turns—is accompanied by a web-based non-linear text that’s essential for filling in its wide-open spaces, especially for impatient readers like me. But make no mistake: story here is king and the emphasis of moving through the game’s world is to observe, discover, and reflect. More than a year on from its release, it remains a remarkable achievement.

Find out more at the project website.

Simon Groth is a writer and editor whose works include Infinite Blue (with Darren Groth) and Hunted Down and Other Tales (with Marcus Clarke). With if:book Australia, Simon created a series of award-winning experimental works including the 24-Hour Book, live writing events at writers festivals around the world, and works of literary remix.