Philosophy explored through classical adventure in Decoherence

If famed Swedish director Ingmar Bergman had created a video game, it might have looked something like Decoherence.

In Decoherence, players get to explore the human mind in a philosophical sense. By meeting and getting to know both fictional and history-based characters, you will be given the ability to interpret different worldviews, possibly even your own.

The game casts players in the role of Novena, a woman who is institutionalized in a Magdalene asylum. These asylums were actual religious institutions where sexually promiscuous women or prostitutes were put during the nineteenth and twentieth century for a sort of 'moral cleansing'. However, why Novena is in the asylum is unclear – whether she is a 'fallen' mentally unstable woman or a victim is up to you to explore and interpret.

A first-person point-and-click adventure currently under production by indie developer Cromlech, the game's aesthetics have been influenced by directors such as Bergman and Andrei Tarkovsky. These inspirations, along with a mixture of analogue photographs and digital interface elements, fictional and historical characters and phenomenon, plus graphics with a monochrome style in black and white, all contribute to the creation of a realistic world with a mysterious atmosphere.

Decoherence will be released for PC, but Cromlech hope to eventually release the title on multiple platforms. The game is currently a fair way off, with a targeted launch more than a year away. The developers intend to launch a Kickstarter campaign to help finance production, and they are currently working on a playable demo. In the meantime, keep an eye on Decoherence by visiting the game's official website.