We’ve seen plenty games trying to push the boundaries of storytelling in media, and Beckett looks like another prime example of this exploration of humanity… we think. After watching the trailer, I can’t be sure, but thankfully the press release clears things up a bit.
Who is the old guy in the trailer? Is he Beckett? Is he a baseball coach? Is he watching the trailer with the same degree of bemusement as we are? We’ve asked and nobody seems to know.
What we can say is that, coming out on 27th February for PC and mac, Beckett is a narrative journey through the decaying mind of a detective, trying to track down a young man suffering from a reality altering condition, which pushes his own perception of reality to the limits. Through the game’s point and click stylings, you’ll encounter characters that represent everything from antique brooches to slices of meat. It’s pretty weird, which makes it a perfect fit for The V&A museum of art and design, as a showcase of storytelling and digital media. Finally, we can put the games as art debate to rest.
Simon Meek, Founder of The Secret Experiment and writer/director of the game, “Beckett is a story that needs to be experienced and discovered, which is why it needs to be told within an interactive framework. The player is essential in its retelling. We see videogames as a form of artistic expression that can rival and even eclipse literature, film and theatre. Beckett challenges the status quo of genre-classified gaming experiences. As a game, there are parallels to point-and-click adventures, but you’d be stretching the definition to call Beckett that.”
Source: a slightly confusing press release
