Valley of Shadow Co-Creator Discusses the Viability and Vitality of Autobiographical Games
It is not uncommon for game developers to put a great deal of themselves into their game, and this is especially true of independent passion projects. ButValley of Shadow's creators, developer Synersteel comprised of brothers Anthony and Nick Vaccaro, is taking things a step further by making an autobiographical video game. It is a concept that may seem perplexing at first blush, even amongst eccentric indie titles, but the Vaccaro brothers have a dramatic story to tell, with a vital goal: assuming the role of Anthony, players must heal from their trauma. Players must navigate a fantasy world by solving puzzles and searching for artifacts from their childhood to achieve closure.
By Anthony's own admission, the game is something of a gambit. It can be misunderstood in any number of ways—written off as a vanity project, dismissed as 'just another walking simulator,' or simply seen as something too personal to have broad appeal. And he had no illusions about its seeming niche appeal. Even if the finished product was poignant and worthwhile, it would not necessarily be sellable. The early reception from fans has been deeply encouraging, however, and now Valley of Shadow is on course to debut in 2023. And if it succeeds, it could kindle interest in a relatively untapped narrative genre for video games.
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Anthony expressed the wish to see more autobiographical video games, from many perspectives and from every walk of life. Thanks to a positive early showing at AustinCon in 2019, he now knows that the genre is 'marketable,' despite his own cynicism toward economics. Even if the game lacks the near-universal appeal of Super Mario, it is still a viable enterprise.
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