Judge feedback

Judge feedback is anonymous and shown in a random order.

• Incredible worldbuilding on display, an absolutely maximalist take on a storytelling game jam. The depth of character and emotional work that this game provides is interstellar. These 3 tales provide the player an unflinching look at the kinds of problems faced by people in tremendously difficult situations, and the structure provides a subtle commentary on the agency that people have in the stories of others.
• This was a nuanced game that took on multiple heavy stories and still managed to give them the room and dignity they deserve. Each refugee is a complicated character with understandable flaws, and I often found myself hesitating to make assumptions because I wasn’t sure what kind of story I was in. Should I assume Yousef was mailing something dangerous? LiYan was angry, but did that make me vulnerable? Did Fanais know more than he let on? Am I wondering these questions because I’ve played a lot of horror games, so I’m waiting for the “twist,” or are there deeper issues at play in how I view others that I can’t immediately understand? You really pulled off holding a mirror to the audience. The game’s use of choice was novel. Most choices available had to deal with what my character (and me) felt, and during the few moments my choice might’ve impacted the game (like with reporting Yousef at the end), I was left with an ambiguous feeling. While this lack-of-autonomy would often be considered a weakness in a branching game, in this case, it’s a strength because it illustrates the powerlessness of refugees and workers navigating the immigration system. It doesn’t matter how well you’re prepared, or how patient you are, there’s always some other obstacle, like a weird little document you didn’t file on time. The narrative and structure complimented each other perfectly, and the aftertaste of the game was distinct and somber. If you’d like more feedback, feel free to reach out on the Cryptic Conservatory discord linked on the jam page!