things that could have killed the dinosaurs
Requiem for a soldier: 1916 Der Unbekannte Krieg
Sun, Jan 29, 2012 | 01:04 GMT
A much loved indie is getting a second lease on life. Julie Horup checks in with the dinosaurs, tank maggots, and WWI trenches of 1916 – Der Unbekannte Krieg.
1916 – Der Unbekannte Krieg
An unusual first person horror game with an emphasis on survival, not combat.
A product of The National Academy of Digital Interactive Entertainment, picked up for professional releases by macbody games.
Student version available online.
Im stuck in a trench, alone and terrified. Above me a war is being fought, but theres absolutely no sign of life down here. Its dark, cold, wet, and Im fighting for my life against an enemy I never could have imagined possible. While painful screams resonate in the trenches, I see some kind of shadowy figure in the distance, and then I know: This literally is hell on earth.
But, actually, its not hell. Its 1916: Der Unbekannte Krieg, an indie game build around a soldier lost in the trenches during World War 1. But despite taking place during a war, its nothing like weve seen from war-riddled games before. Instead the player is hopelessly confused and lost, clinging on to a precious life and about to meet the harbinger of death: a dinosaur.
However, despite being invaded by dinosaurs and various other hellish creatures, 1916 at its core isnt about fighting extinct animals; its not about a doomed soldier; nor is it about shooting guns until the war is won. Its about fear.
We aimed at hitting one note on the players emotional palette and that was fear, said game director David Adler.
One of the qualities inherent in the game is creating a bigger experience for the player than what is actually in the game. This opens the universe for carrying the player deeper into the psychology of terror, not just a mere flesh wound.
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