Thing-in-Itself

Ted and Molly are together. Ted feels a connection to Molly wherever he looks. But, how do they both really see the relationship? See each other?

“Thing-in-Itself” is a short interactive story about the struggles of understanding another human being. Using Immanuel Kant’s concept as a framework, it leads the player through stages of a relationship, exploring how perceptions may clash and surroundings can alter.

With an average walkthrough time of 15 minutes, “Thing-in-Itself” is not a game in a traditional sense – it doesn’t have win or lose conditions and doesn’t present challenge to the player.

With this project, Party for Introverts attempts to establish a connection between the mediums of game and short story, reworking the possibilities when narrative and interactivity merge.

Key Features:

Short, impactful interactive story that combines the motifs of German philosophy with a theme of modern relationship

15-minute walkthrough accompanied by inspired voice acting

Emotional journey made relatable through casual interactions, dialogue choices and environmental changes

Original musical score created by Elena Alekseeva