- What does this game mean to you, Fiore?
- The possibility to change the world I live in.
Frail Hearts: Versicorae Domlion is made by an Italian indie developer Kristian Sinzar Hafner who has chosen to use she/her as pronouns and refer to herself as Fiore (it. — a flower).
Despite the gloomy setting, the game’s mission is to spread the ideas of diversity, acceptance and love. The name of the city - Gris - stands for “gray” in the Spanish language. Gris is rather grim and full of frightening creatures. That’s how Fiore symbolizes the misunderstanding of the society and the relatives, toxicity and lack of kindness in the world.
“I was able to meet many different kinds of people and visit as many places all over the world as possible. This helped me a lot in understanding others, appreciating different cultures and realizing that life is not made of white or black only” — says Fiore, — “Beyond hardships, this context made me aware of my needs and that, outside of that world, I could find my place to be”.
The name of the game - Frail Hearts - speaks for itself clearly. It’s a story about the choice one makes and the evolution of the soul. All the four playable characters - Michael, Anne, Arthur, Cathrine - they’re different but still have a lot in common. Michael is used to hiding his feelings under the mask of aggressive masculinity, he can’t accept the deep love for his friend Gabriel and has to overcome grief after his death. Anne escapes people, either her family or co-students. Science is her shelter, any attachment is a catch. Arthur is the most emotional and wholesome character of the game, but he’s suffering too after his adopting father dies. He feels abandoned and needs love. Cathrine is traumatized by the horrors of the war and is trying to find deliverance in helping those in need.
And the main protagonist Alexis, which Fiore associates herself with, is the only entity able to make all the characters face their inner demons… in his own way. He is a kind of “necessary evil”. Also, the Creator refers to the mysterious Witch, that’s how she feels inside and in her life experiences. The Witch is a passive character that appears very few times and takes no direct action on what happens in Gris. She keeps watching, witnessing the choices made by its inhabitants… and learns about all the possible outcomes. She knows everything (and could do as much), but still wants others to discover their truths by themselves, without interfering. She also is a character that needs to make an important choice (the whole sense of the story) but needs help from others due to how difficult the decision is. While Fiore was developing the project, she had to face many choices in order to ensure its completion… and though she is a very determined person, she was still in need of a lot of help from many trustful people to achieve her goal.
“The game is the possibility for me to change the world I live in,” — says Fiore, — “Frail Hearts is the path I’ve found in order to exit from the reality I don’t fit in, just like a bird escaping from a golden cage. While its development was hurtful, it helped me (and I hope others as well) to endure the last two years… to realize what could come after the pandemic. I really wish it will become the starting point for more stories to tell and worlds to create”.
The game makes the players think that their attitude would never change during their story but, depending on the two different endings in the game, the player will also determine what outcome they will face. Personal growth is the key to the characters’ adventures, and sooner or later they will be able to make their choices.
It’s Pride Month, and we want to call for unity, acceptance, awareness and love!
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