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With its latest publication, entitled The Raintime, game studio S.O.C.A.H. delves into the psychological consequences of global climate change. The Raintime tells the story of William, a young college student who becomes alienated from his surroundings due to unnatural climatic phenomena."More and more young people experience mental stress from the prospect of climate change," lead-developer Ian explains. "Due to uncertainty about the future, they fall victim to depression and listlessness. In The Raintime we've tried to express this."
Climate change fits well within the broader context of alienation, which is an important motif in The Raintime. William lives on an artificial island, on a man-made lake, a fully artificial living environment. Over time, the mild climate and the behavior of insects cause him to realize that even the weather is no longer natural, but man-made.
When asked about sources of inspiration, creative-director Janne explains: "The use of weather as a metaphor originates in the Gothic Novels of the Victorian age. Weather phenomena have always played a major role in this genre, for example thunder to express threat, or sunshine as a symbol of happiness. In the context of climate change something like this gets an extra dimension, because the changing weather always exerts some kind of pressure of itself. Though it's nice when spring comes early due to global warming, there's always an unnatural feeling that creeps underneath."
The Raintime is out now as a free download on gaming platform Steam. For more information, visit socah.org.
Photograph: S.O.C.A.H.
Press kit: socah.org/press
Contact Info:
Name: Ian de Jong
Email: Send Email
Organization: S.O.C.A.H.
Phone: +31652501315
Website: http://socah.org/raintime
Release ID: 88961920