What Remains of Edith Finch and Compulsive Daydreaming
Video games have the opportunity to elevate storytelling by introducing an interactive element. Not only can gamers witness a narrative unfold, but they can also partake in it too. The interactivity can help to amplify feelings of identification with the characters and make central themes more impactful. This is illustrated in What Remains of Edith Finch, a 2017 game developed by Giant Sparrow. Although the gameplay is minimal, what is present is used effectively to immerse players into the story presented.
As players explore the Finch family home, they uncover the story behind the many tragic deaths in the seemingly cursed family. Every sad story is told through mini-experiences that make the game feel like an anthology of mini-games. One particularly interesting story in What Remains of Edith Finch is that of Lewis Finch, a young man who retreats into fantasy to escape the dullness of his life. Lewis's story can be seen as an illustration of compulsive daydreaming along with the destruction it can bring to one's life.
More Games Should Replicate The Magical Realism Of What Remains Of Edith Finch
Lewis is one of the most interesting characters in What Remains of Edith Finch. Lewis's room, which contains hookah pipes and psychedelic art, gives a window into his personality. He is someone with an expansive imagination and a lust for fantasy. Though his regular life is a boring one that has him chopping up fish at the cannery, in his mind is a world filled with color and excitement, and it is constantly begging for him to explore it. Lewis crafts for himself an imaginary land filled with fantastic creatures and, brick by brick, he builds a kingdom for people to inhabit.
As time progresses, Lewistopia increases in complexity,
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