Some years back, the western civilization was experiencing the cultural, industrial and economic climax. The middle class was expanding, the arts were flourishing and the scientific discoveries were popping like popcorn, significantly improving the quality of life. The traditional was slowly fading away, being replaced by the new, the western, the eccentric, by that which aligns to a new order. It was shallow, I know, the poor continued to be exploited and there was still famine in the world, but at least some of us were moving forward. Yet the laws of Geo-politics, were not dormant. It was the perfect environment to strike and strive. Bloody actions were inevitable if you looked from the top downwards, yet doubtful if you looked around. These events had made a few people rich, retraced some borders, then left a world in financial decay and emotional ache. The perfect playground for authoritarian leaders to arise and thrive. Visionaries were hoping they’re dealing with isolated cases, yet these sugar-daddies were a growing trend. Loved by the majority and even supported by some intellectuals, it was high time for the masses to be seduced into the arms of an authoritarian father figure who'd impose rules and would have solutions for a world that seemed to have gone mad. One by one, some iconic nations elected the leaders they believed in. They voted for a better life, for safety, for common sense, for respect, with all the good intentions. If right now, you feel like saying Erdogan, Putin, Trump, Brexit, Le Pen, Assad, well, your thoughts, not mine. I was hinting more towards Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Franco, Ceausescu, but you got the picture. As an indie studio, we assumed a stance against any totalitarian / authoritarian / egalitarian regime by creating Black The Fall: the journey of an old machinist whose only purpose is to survive, by escaping Communism. We find it to be our duty to address our daily concerns through our work. When Black The Fall was just an idea, it was about here are bits and pieces of how we lived . But now it becomes more and more about here are bits and pieces of how we might live again. And we are not the only ones in the industry standing up. Our brothers here have done a brilliant job at putting indie games in the service of sociopolitical wake-up calls. And this is just to name a few titles:

• Papers Please - Play as an immigration inspector who controls the flow of people entering the Arstotzkan side of Grestin from Kolechia. Among the throngs of immigrants and visitors looking for work are hidden smugglers, spies, and terrorists.
• Orwell - play as the one and only Big Brother.
• Beholder - Play as a State-installed Landlord in a totalitarian State.
• We Happy Few - an action/adventure game set in a drug-fuelled, retrofuturistic city in an alternative 1960s England.
• 1979 Revolution: Black Friday - a choice driven, narrative game that brings players into the brooding world of a nation on the verge of collapse.
• Kommissar -a political prosecution simulator in a totalitarian regime.

Democracy is a fragile thing, heavily dependent on our everyday actions. It sometimes bothers, as we need to oblige by the voice of the many. I get it: I’m me, you’re you, we’re definitely not the many, but the selected few. Yet, we know from experience, that the most painful regime is to abide not the voice of the many, but that of the one... Could we be trapped in a history-repeating looped GIF? For more updates you can:

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[ 2017-04-24 15:58:28 CET ] [ Original post ]

BLACK THE FALL is an atmospheric puzzle game set-up in a dystopian era, inspired by our communist past. Playing as Black, you get the chance to outsmart the system, but on the way to freedom prepare for pitfalls, manipulation and dismal.

MANIPULATE

Get hold of a designator to control the other workers, machines and friendly factory creatures. This will prove crucial in your quest.

OUTSMART

Use logic, acuity and the laws of physics to figure out how to move through the hostile environment, deceive guardians and find your way out, while staying safe.

UPRISE

Remember who you are and fight for your beliefs. Liberate yourself from any system that hinders your humanity. Take advantage of that open door and start your odyssey.