Valley of Shadow Interview: Anthony Vaccaro Describes Real-World Digital Artifacts, Growth, and Healing via Gameplay
Autobiographical stories, especially those that are grounded in real-life experiences, may be the rarest narrative genre employed in video games. Developer Synersteel, consisting of Anthony and Nicholas Vaccaro, is aiming to change that with Valley of Shadow: an intensely personal narrative puzzle game about grief, emotional trauma, and healing through the lens of fanciful magic. The indie game is still a ways away, expected to debut on Steam next year, but people with an interest in titles that tackle real issues and serious subjects should take note.
Game Rant spoke with Anthony, lead artist and creative designer on Valley of Shadow, about their unique development challenges, gameplay, and the importance of this autobiographical title. Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
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Q: Can you introduce yourself and share your favorite narrative puzzle game?
A: My name is Anthony Vaccaro. I am the lead creative developer at Synersteel studio, which is co-owned with my brother, Nicholas, and we are developing Valley of Shadow which is an autobiographical puzzle game. My favorite narrative puzzle game is Gone Home.
Q: Describe Valley of Shadow, for those who are unfamiliar with the game in a couple sentences.
A: Valley of Shadow is an autobiographical narrative puzzle game about mortality, grief, and healing from a traumatic family event. You traverse temples of life, which are intrinsic to us as actual individuals, as family members, and you go through the house we grew up in, and you learn to heal through an artist’s rendition of cognitive behavioral therapy.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about the traumatic experiences that inspired
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