Today, powerhouse indie horror publisher DreadXP and developer LUAL Games launch their foray into gamified self-conceptualization with [I] doesn’t exist — a modern text adventure exploring control, isolation, and mental health themes.
>/salvation is just beyond the threshold
Taking cues from cherished works like The Beginner’s Guide, Stories Untold, Buddy Simulator, and Zork, [I] doesn’t exist pays homage to the roots of narrative-driven gaming while elevating the text adventure genre. By incorporating conversational text recognition, captivating and surreal pixel art, and unconventional, intrapersonal themes, [I] doesn’t exist prompts players to introspect what it really means to be “human.”
Watch the launch trailer for [I] doesn’t exist
>/it’s everything you could ever want
YouTube | Download
In the game, players awake in an unfamiliar forest with illogical scenery and oddities like friendly, talking mushrooms. As they command their in-game avatar and contemplate the solution to puzzles (and the meaning of their existence) to escape the seemingly innocuous forest, the façade begins to show its cracks to reveal something… darker.
>/all you need to do is:
Utilizing a mix of 2D and 3D perspective through optical illusion, [I] doesn’t exist leads players through a trippy, dreamlike experience crafted to reflect the title’s surreal tale. The game’s trance-like visuals and text-based narrative design, supported by modern “Natural Language Processing” technology — which allows players to creatively answer in-game prompts without sticking to a set of specific terms, makes for an eerily intuitive gameplay experience that’s accessible to newbies and text-adventure veterans alike.
>/get. through. that. door
What the press is saying about [I] doesn’t exist:
4/5 – Bloody Disgusting
“A Fun, Creative, And Cathartic Experience” – Screenrant
“…an intense, compact experience through existential dread that will leave you wanting more.” – Magnetic Magazine
[I] doesn’t exist is available now on Steam and itch.io for Windows PC, Mac, and Linux for $15.99 with a limited-time 10% launch week discount.
Publisher & Developer Note: Publisher DreadXP and developer LUAL value the authenticity of human-made narratives, and none of the in-game text in [I] doesn’t exist is AI-generated. The Natural Language Processing technology utilized in the game is not affiliated with ChatGPT or similar AI platforms. It utilizes only the player’s input to access pre-written responses by the game’s super-cool writers.
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