Brukel Presskit

Factsheet

Developer:
Lifelong Games
Based in United States

Release date:
November 2 2019

Platforms:
Windows

Available From:
$1.24 - Steam

Description

A first-person exploration game based on the authentic memories of a 92-year-old grandmother, told to players in her own voice. Take pictures of what remains of her abandoned childhood home to uncover the dark, traumatic events that she had to fight through as a teenage girl.

History

A LEGACY

My generation has been fortunate to have lived in abundance and first-world problems, but my grandmother was never so lucky. While we consume horror stories as entertainment, she spent her teenage years scrambling for food and gasping for fresh air amidst gunfire and explosions. As a result, her stories have had a tremendous positive impact on how I view the world. By making this game, I am hoping to pass them on to others.

A BYSTANDER'S WAR STORY

While most war games use the perspective of a heroic male soldier, Brukel brings the story of a strong female bystander who does not really understand why people are killing each other in her backyard. Nonetheless, that does not prevent her from being a hero to her family.

A GAMINISCING GAMING

Brukel uses a unique design process which I refer to as 'gaminiscing', a combination of reminiscing and game design. Through this process, game designers can bring the people's memories back to life in as highly engaging interactive experiences.

A STRONG FEMALE PROTAGONIST

It has been extremely rewarding to watch people interact with my grandmother’s life history. She has always been a hero to me, and I love showing the world what a bad-ass she truly is. Every line that my grandmother delivers in the game is authentic. She cannot act to save her life, so I had to work with the stories as she told them while reminiscing. Honestly, I think the game actually is even better because of that.

A GAME DESIGN CHALLENGE

For most games, audio and voice acting is done after the the story of the game has been created, but for Brukel, all audio and voice recordings already existed long before even the game's concept had been defined. Bringing together all these disconnected stories in a way that would make sense and be engaging to players, was probably one of the biggest challenges that I ever faced as a game designer.

Features

An intense and emotional journey that accurately portrays the memories of a 92-year-old grandmother in her own voice (spoken in a Flemish dialect with English subtitles).
No combat, light puzzles and a smartphone camera that features digital zoom, exposure and focus range.
A short game that you can experience in about an hour.
A game for fans of Gone Home, Silent Hill, This War Of Mine, Layers of Fear and Stranger Things.

Videos

Gameplay Trailer YouTube

Cinematic Trailer YouTube

Context Trailer YouTube

Images

Download all screenshots & photos as .zip

Logo & Icon

Download logo/icon assets as .zip

Awards & Recognition

"Gold Medal - Games for Good" 2019 International Serious Play Awards
"Official Selection" 2019 Smithsonian American Art Museum Arcade
"Serious Game of the Year" 2020 Belgian Game Awards
"Best Debut Game" 2020 Belgian Game Awards
"Audience Award" 2020 Belgian Game Awards
"Official Selection" 2019 Akron Art Museum Open World Arcade
"Runner Up - Best Digital Game" 2018 Meaningful Play Awards

Selected Articles

"Hearing Bie’s voice throughout and being able to connect the scenarios to real people, conjures strong feelings of empathy for those that experience the terrible violence of war, whilst reminding the player that they will (probably) never fully understand. ... Whilst, in reality, the building has been renovated and changed, the game recreates the environment based entirely on Bie’s subjective memories to create a poignant, historical experience."
- Rachael Brearton, Indie Hive

Monetization Permission

Lifelong Games does allow the contents of this game to be published through video broadcasting services only with direct written permission from Brukel. Check at the bottom of this page for contact information.