TRAUMA Review

TRAUMA Review

Once in a while a unique indie game comes along and challenges your thoughts on what a game actually is. TRAUMA from indie designer Krystian Majewski is one of those games. Providing a dark and chilling look into the twisted mind of a car accident victim, TRAUMA is an interesting look into the human psyche.

Players assume the role of a young woman who has survived a car accident and is suffering from an amnesia like state. They are placed inside of her surreal dreams which play out as interactive, photographed environments. They'll be pointing, clicking and using mouse gestures to discover clues that will eventually lead to the end of a chapter. All the while the great voice acting really sells the eeriness of this adventure.

There are four chapters to work your way through and each chapter has multiple endings depending on what clues you find. This creates an emotional connection between the player and the character as it feels your direct actions control how she will remember certain events. It's gripping from beginning to end, and is certainly one memorable experience.

The production value of TRAUMA is rather surprising; it features a fantastic soundtrack along with some live action video sequences that really sell its premise. It goes a long way into making this plight seem very believable and it will grip you from beginning to end.

The use of mouse gestures throughout the game begs for a port to the iOS and Android platforms. Playing this title with a full touchscreen would be the perfect way to experience TRAUMA. Thankfully the game is 100% Flash based, so this allows the game to be played in Windows, Linux of Mac OS X.

The only downfall to TRAUMA is the fact it is going to be a niche title - it's not exactly a point and click adventure, but it's definitely more than a "spot the difference" kind of game. TRAUMA provides its own unique experience for the user, and if you're willing to jump on board you are in for one hell of a ride.

By Stephen Heller

You can purchase TRAUMA from Steam on PC or Mac, or directly from the developer website