Fran Bow, by Natalia and Isak Martinsson (horror computer game, 2015)

[lb_lee]

"Everything's fine.
It feels like heaven.
I see my parents.
They look happy.
They have a present for me. I wonder...
It's a cat! So sweet and pretty!
Dark as the deepest night.
It's Mr. Midnight!
My best friend...
My only friend..."

Blurb: After witnessing the brutal murder of her parents, ten-year-old Fran Bow gets shipped off to an oppressive asylum for children, where she starts having grotesque visions. After having a dream about her beloved cat, Mr. Midnight, she decides to escape. Reality starts coming apart at the seams.

Why is it worth your time?: It's really good. It is amazing that this game was made by only two people; its visual style is singular, and the horrific imagery is contrasted and intensified by beautiful moments, plus the love Fran and Mr. Midnight have for each other. As someone who also sometimes has gruesome visions, this game was ironically comforting to watch; it has a theme of choosing happiness despite intense pain. The game is intentionally surreal and unclear as to what's "real" and what isn't, but I feel it fits under a greater plural umbrella due to (SPOILERS)

Plural Tags: imaginary friends, visions, nonswitching, realitymashing, otherworld, metaphysical/supernatural, creator speaks from experience, abuse high-focus

Content Warnings: contain spoilers, in the comments below.

Accessibility Notes: Subtitled in English, Spanish, German, and Russian, not voiced. I've found a Let's Play that voices the dialogue in English. (When I link a Let's Play, it's to a completionist version with an unobtrusive, leisurely player who focuses on the game.)

Misc. Notes: Natalia Martinsson (nee Figueroa) has stated that this game is based on her own life: "The game itself is a kind of screaming out what I been experienced through my childhood and teenager years. [...] So yes, Fran Bow is a gathering of many events that have being crucial in my life and in a way, I don't want to speak only for myself, but also the others I meet on my way, because not everything is about painful situations. Beautiful things has also happened on the way, and those happy event are those who really helped to battle my mental state."

Comments

Content Warnings and spoilers

[lb_lee]

There are a lot; this is a rough ride. EXTREMELY disturbing imagery, gore, violence, reality distortion, child abuse of all kinds, murder/suicide, and medical ableism/experimentation. Fran Bow regularly sees disemboweled corpses, maggots, and blood everywhere. I think this game fits under the greater plural umbrella, since Fran's imaginary friend Itward plays a major role, Mr. Midnight might be a psychological introject of the real cat, who may be dead, the son of darkness Remor clearly possesses people (and possibly Fran as well), and there are recurring themes of duality. Also, there are five chapters to this game, one of which is called My Imaginary Friend, another of which is called Dual Personality.