Sam Barlow, the mastermind of 2015's wonderful FMV thriller Her Story, returns today with #WarGames. Out now, the interactive adventure is modern slant on the Matthew Broderick-starring 1983 movie—this time with a hashtag in tow.
Drawing from modern hacktivism—not least the work of Anonymous—#WarGames eschews gloomy stereotypes in favour of more charismatic and relatable programmers, and tasks players with making choices by way of video feeds.
Players assume control of Kelly Grant, "an ex-military brat", as she seeks justice for her ex-US Army sergeant mother who was killed in action. Besides video feeds, the game's story unfolds via the cast's webcams, social media and smartphones, and promises a "seamless interactive video experience" that's personal to the player.
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"With #WarGames, I wanted to show hacking and hacker culture in a way that is true to the spirit of the original film," explains Barlow in a statement. "The hackers in our story are clever, funny, and at the end of the day, they’re really just kids affecting the world in a way they didn’t quite expect. Each viewer goes on their own journey as they watch, and the way I experience the series is going to be different than the way you experience it, and we can compare notes. It’s TV unlike anything you’ve ever seen before."
More information on all of that can be gleaned from #WarGames' official site. It's free, however an ad-free version costs $2.99 on Steam.
Look out for our interview with Sam Barlow later this week—where we discuss how his latest venture works, its place in the landscape of FMV games, and how it compares to the dev's previous works in Her Story and Silent Hill: Shattered Memories.