It's every parent's nightmare: that somehow, some way, your actions wind up causing physical or psychological harm to your child. A new in-development game aims to put players in the repercussions of the death of a boy. A death that's your fault.
In A Song for Viggo, you play as a dad who accidentally kills his son. Done up in painstakingly constructed papercraft, the game will explore the grief, depression and guilt that follows such a tragic event. It looks like the unique presentation will provide enough of a counterbalance to A Song for Viggo's grim themes:
Your first mission is to arrange your son's funeral. You are going to have to do it alone, because your wife, Karen, went into a deep depression following the death of Viggo.
This is the type of challenge you will have to face in this game.
Your goal is to maintain everyday life, despite the tragic circumstances. Be there for your daughter. Put food on the table. Do the dishes. Keep your marriage together. The struggles are of a psychological, rather than mechanical, nature. There is only one puzzle. It's called life.
Indie developer Simon Karlsson is crowdfunding the game over on Kickstarter now.