Today (27th January) is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and The Light in the Darkness – an upcoming historical adventure game – will educate players about the Holocaust. This narrative-driven adventure game will be available on Xbox and PC later in the year. The game’s director, Luc Bernard (who has an extensive gaming history with titles such as Mecho Wars and Eternity’s Child), wants this game – the first to be centered solely around the Holocaust – to be as educational as possible. We could always use some more educational games, that’s for sure.
This fast-approaching historical adventure game revolves around a fictional family during a truly horrific and infamous event: the 1942 Vel d’Hiv roundup in Paris, when Jewish families were chosen for detention by the French authorities after receiving orders from the hierarchy of the German army. Check out the teaser trailer for The Light in the Darkness below.
How does this adventure game plan to share its message?
The game’s creator hopes the title will help educate its players, from the minute they download to the moment of completion. None of its target audience was alive when this event happened, so it is an interesting concept to see them taking on this adventure in the future. The game will include survivor testimonies between the scenes, hoping to offer a small insight into the stories. Bernard also made sure to partner himself with Holocaust survivor and Holocaust researcher Joan Salter with the hope that this will assist with the game’s realism and accuracy. The message is clear; this upcoming adventure game will educate its players about this horrific event.
In an interview with Xbox representatives, Bernard said,
In terms of gameplay, this game will intentionally not contain decision-based mechanics in the hope that it simulates a “lack of control” so users can experience the powerlessness that these victims had to endure. This means the game is more about witnessing and watching the story unfold rather than having complete control. The Light in the Darkness Holocaust game will educate players and hopes to offer its gamers the experience of a chilling atmosphere, with some great story-telling as well. So, wait for this narrative-driven adventure game to come out on Xbox and PC later in the year as a free-to-play title.
