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STORY

The story of Mind Ransom takes place deep inside a cerebral realm, somewhere between the borders of fiction and reality. This world, by some loose definition, belongs to the highly introverted and isolated 16-year-old Erik Lundberg. Initially in denial about these strange circumstances, Erik comes to realise that his detachment from reality is caused by the death of his girlfriend, 15-year-old Vivian Mwangi. To achieve answers, closure, and a reality check, he must battle each of his grieving emotions individually - literally.

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Of course, for a discordant mind such as Erik's, it could never be as simple as going through the motions. His emotions have been personified in this chaotic, lawless world by none other than Ransom, a vengeful diva created and forgotten by Erik years ago. Once a hollow shell existing for his imagined emotional (and intimate) support, she seeks payback for her objectification and subsequent abandonment, knowing full well that her creator's greatest flaw is his emotional volatility. Luckily for Erik this is not met without resistence, as he is accompanied by Viva, the mysterious but nurturing guide. Together the pair seek to end Ransom's meddling, and finally come to terms with Vivian's passing.

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GAMEPLAY

In terms of genre, Mind Ransom is primarily an indie RPG, utilising this as an artistic medium to portray story, character, and concept. Art and dialogue paint pictures of each character's individuality. Mystery unfolds with each level, regarding backstory, intention, setting - and most importantly - what reality is in this unreal world. The game aims to represent self-isolation, mental volatility, and blurred lines between truth and fantasy.

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Through level design, the narrative within Mind Ransom is portrayed in different ways. While the game is technically an RPG, each level has its own gimmick, some slightly further from the typical mechanics of an RPG than others. Levels include a detail-scouring labyrinth, a puzzling test of perserverance, and even a dating sim! In varying ways, each of these levels is designed to portray the stage of grief that it represents. Each level also concludes with a boss battle, followed by the collection of an item that furthers the narrative.

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Due to the nature of a narrative that in many ways represents internal instability, Mind Ransom contains content that could be triggering for some. As such, it is not advised to be viewed or played by those who feel they might be prone to depressive episodes, self harm, or suicide attempts upon viewing material that may relate to such topics.

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MIND RANSOM

Mind Ransom © CHERRILOID 2016 - 2021

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