Critical Play: Mysteries
In Year Walk, a mystery game thematically derived from the ancient Swedish tradition of the same name, the player wanders through a snow-set, barren forest in search of an unknown destination.
The game’s narrative is woven into the gameplay by means of occasional, cryptic conversation. In Year Walk’s opening sequence, the player picks their way through the forest until they eventually happen across a windmill; there, the player’s supposed lover hints at their relationship, and fearfully reminds us of the dangers of year walking. This is the only explanation provided of the player’s purpose: we are year walking, and it is dangerous, with an unknown objective.
The game employs a number of mechanics to elicit mystery. Already mentioned is the game’s sparse conversation: mostly, the player is left alone to find their way through the forest, solving puzzles and evading unknown threats along the way. The silence is deafening. Year Walk’s visual design is also deftly concocted to produce a sense of mystery. The field of vision is narrow, and the depth of field shallow; the player can only see a small slice of the forest at a time, and wonders what might be creeping up behind them. Vignetting on the corners of the screen and a muted, monochrome palette contribute to a continuous sense of malaise, as does the sporadic appearance of macabre iconography.
Perhaps the game’s most original and prominent mechanic is the restriction of movement. The player moves through the forest by swiping left and right, able to move forward and backward in certain regions of the slice in which they currently stand. Movement is therefore restricted, occurring in combinations that can be difficult to remember; the resulting effect is one of confusion and disorientation. Moving swipe by swipe, the player traverses through a barren landscape, at times observing only imperceptible changes in the forest––other times, happening upon mysterious puzzles and narrative-progressing objects. These mechanics of movement are compelling in the recreation of being truly lost in a forest, wandering serendipitously in search of a way out. Together, they envelope the player in mystery: what are we looking for, how will we find it, and what must we deal with along the way?
