There are infinite ways of how a video game can be made. Although we have in our minds that a video game has to be a certain way, fueled by an industry obsessed with AAA, in reality there are many different ways to approach the medium. Many possibilities yet to be explored. That’s why it’s so exciting when a studio dares to try something different. Something innovative. Because it demonstrates the unthinkable possibilities of such a rich medium like video games.
The inkle studio, in collaboration with Google Arts & Culture, has designed a game called The Forever Labyrinth. Our duty will be to find Professor Sheldrake, who has disappeared, and search for her in libraries, forests, and gardens, finding the connections that exist between the different works that we will be visiting. All this while trying to avoid a monster that is trying to devour the world. Making full use of the possibilities of Google Arts & Culture, which allows us to see numerous works of art from around the world.
inkle, moreover, is a studio that is no stranger to this kind of experiments. They are the creators of indie games like 80 Days, Heaven’s Vault or the very recent A Highland Song, all recognized for their experimental approaches, and very interested in the relationship between the human and the culture. Something very present in The Forever Labyrinth.
The game is actually a roguelike, because we won’t finish it in a single playthrough. Being a browser game, it is designed for us to play multiple times in short sessions. That’s why each playthrough will last about 20 minutes, making it impossible for us to unlock everything, see everything, in a single playthrough. However, there is a saving system that will keep our progress, so nothing will be lost. So there is no reason not to come back as many times as necessary and take it easy.
The Forever Labyrinth is very interesting because it demonstrates the possibilities of the medium. And you can also play it for free from your browser from this link. So, what more can we ask for?
