Simulacra | TD Gaming

Around 2016 to 2017, the indie game scene had an influx of ‘found phone games.’ The premise would always be deceptively simple. You find a lost phone and take it upon yourself to snoop through it’s contents, uncovering snippets of the previous owner’s life as you solve puzzles on the phone itself. Instead of, you know, returning it to it’s rightful owner!

The main draw of these games was getting to live your nosy, phone peeping fantasy. Reading other people’s texts, emails, and perusing their gallery would totally be a violation of privacy in real life. Virtual people however, I’m sure won’t mind very much! Although digging through a fictional character’s files is definitely a unique premise to center a game around, few found phone games really took it to the next level. (There was ‘A Normal Lost Phone” a heartfelt story about being trans and self discovery) That is, until Kaigan Games came out with a scary take on the fresh genre with the award winning Simulacra.

The Story – Light spoilers ahead

You, the unnamed protagonist discover a smartphone, innocently left on your doorstep. For whatever reason, you decide to take into your house and boot it up. Upon first turning on, it appears the smartphone is corrupted or broken in some way, as the screen constantly glitched, displaying ominous messages.

Through the glitches and strange occurrences on the phone, you manage to bypass the lock screen and are greeted by the wallpaper. A selfie of the phone’s owner, Anna. With a little digging, and a phone call from her disgruntled ex, you discover that Anna has actually gone missing without a trace. With the help of Anna’s contacts and several key characters, you embark on a phone cracking case as you slowly try to piece together’s Anna’s fate, and if she can even be saved.

It’s very apparent from the beginning that Simulacra’s mystery deals with the supernatural. From the corrupted segments of data within the phone to ominous videos and clues, you will be dealing with some rather creepy stuff. The crux of the story is trying to figure out what happened to Anna, while simultaneously learning more about her through her texts and vlogs.

I was rather captivated by the characters as a whole, especially Anna. I found myself really hoping that she would be okay in the end, and that this whole time she was on a vacation in Hawaii and just dropped her phone on your doorstep! That’s not to say that the rest of the cast is forgettable, there were actually nuanced. Without giving too much away, they’re rather nuanced and likable. They have their good traits and bad traits, as you’re left to wonder if there are ulterior motives among the people helping you find Anna.

The Gameplay

All of Simulacra’s gameplay takes place on the screen of Anna’s phone, Solving puzzles to gain more info, visiting websites through the browser, and reading Anna’s texts and info. This may sound boring, but the minds at Kaigan did not let me feel bored for a single second while playing. I felt wholly immersed into the digital world of Anna’s phone through the little details they lovingly added. They definitely thought of inventive ways to keep the game interesting, while also remaining within the realm of possibility for a smartphone (well, aside from the supernatural elements!)

Simulacra features live action videos (yes, they hired actors) to fully flesh out the story. Although text is a big part of the game, they give you a break from reading by the videos you’re sent or in Anna’s gallery. Navigating through the phone itself is simple, yet still keeps the immersion. The acting can be a little iffy at times, but they get the job done most of the time. If anything, the cheesyness of their deliver adds to the charm of the game. It’s up to decide whether you can look past it.

The game features:

• Challenging puzzles and mysteries
• Voice acted and live action cast
• Hidden easter eggs
• Multiple choices and endings

The Verdict

I really cannot help but appreciate games that manage to captivate me, and take me on a thrilling journey without demanding too much from my PC’s system. Growing up only able to WATCH people play the latest COD with breathtaking visuals and non stop action, I felt as if it was only triple A developers who could make worthwhile games, Kaigan Games proves that you can make great and engrossing experiences even without a massive budget or a giant publisher backing you, and is an example of the amazing games that can come out of giving developers the freedom to bring their vision to life. It really shows the beauty and level of quality you can find in indie games. Even without stunning visuals and fast paced gameplay, Simulacra held my attention and had me at the edge of my seat all throughout the whole thing. Although not groundbreaking or making on a lot of people’s GOTY lists (it’s in mine) Simulacra is a thrilling, scary experience through and through. One I highly recommend to gamers, casual players, and anyone who wants to lose themselves in an intriguing mystery.

Simulacra is available on iOS, Android, and PC.

Release Trailer;