Draugen new story trailer made me a fan

Can you resist this beautiful game? 

Walking simulators and mystery games regularly need some innovation in order to keep being of interest to the community. Repeated formulas start wearing down their audience, and the boom of walking simulators lead by hits like What Remains of Edith Finch, SOMA and The Vanishing of Ethan Carter seemed to be running out of steam.

Until now.

Red Thread Games’ Draugen received a new story trailer today. I must confess I’m now a fan. The graphics, the scenes and the story have intrigued me enough to really look forward to it. Also, we don’t usually see any live, moving characters in walking simulators, aside from the protagonist.

Draugen, set in the 1920s, puts us in control of American traveller Edward Charles Harden, who together with his companion Lissie head over to Norway’s fjords in order to find his sister Betty. The small, desolated town of Graavik configures a ‘Nordic Noir” setting which begs us to explore and find out dark truths.

The trailer shows Lissie as our way of touching base and recover some sanity in this mysterious journey. Is she real? That’s something I ask myself after swimming through that story trailer. Or is she an illusion? I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case.

Maybe you think that a second character in a walking simulator isn’t a big thing, but let me assure you that it is. Think about any other game in this category. Firewatch played with our feeling of being watched and being surrounded by the presence of others, but nobody was ever shown. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter had memories and spiritual visions of past events, but no one actually there. What Remains of Edith Finch, Gone Home, SOMA and oh so many more I could name, but let me save you some time.

“Explore 1920s coastal Norway accompanied by a living, breathing, independent companion”, boasts Red Thread Games in its description of Draugen features. The fact that this is even a statement reflect how unique and innovative that is.

Blood painted on the walls, beautiful Scandinavian landscapes, an abandoned town and mystery all over every inch of this game… What’s not to love? I’m already a fan.

Draugen will be released at some point on May 2019.