GAME OF THE DAY
Far From Noise
Far from Noise
A conversation on a cliff edge
In Far From Noise, your car teeters on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. No one hears your calls for help. It’s just you and your innermost thoughts, which appear onscreen as dialogue bubbles. Select from the different options to alter the conversation and the course of the story.
Despite the nerve-racking setup, Far From Noise is a remarkably serene experience. The lilac-colored cliffside, gentle hush of waves, and slowly setting sun are a stark contrast to your precarious circumstance.
The game’s pervading serenity is in part thanks to the thoughtful, funny dialogue, which was inspired by transcendentalism—the philosophy of Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Muir, and Henry David Thoreau.
“The narrative invites players to slow down, to think about their surrounds and adopt the pace of nature,” says creator George Batchelor. “You’re stuck in a situation where all you can do is talk. It’s a refreshing opportunity to reflect, to have a conversation that feels natural.”
Batchelor, incidentally, made the game in his spare time. By day, he’s a programmer at State of Play, the developer behind Lumino City, INKS, and KAMI.
“I think people are looking to games as the next wave of storytelling,” he says. “People who have always been into narratives can now find some of the best stories in games. That interactivity adds this extra layer of empathy.”
Far From Noise balances wit with weighty philosophical discourse. In an outstanding year for interactive stories on the App Store, this ranks among the best.