A game about Franz Kafka might sound like a weird prospect—and, well, it is. But it’s weird in a good way. The setup is suitably Kafkaesque: our protagonist has to tackle a series of baffling, surreal encounters that surprise and confuse in equal measure. But it all compels the player onwards, mostly to see what on Earth might happen next.
The story is not about the famed writer himself, but rather a psychotherapist called K, who shares a name with the lead in Kafka’s The Castle. K longs to be with his distant sweetheart Felice, and we meet in him 1924 Bohemia as he sets out on a journey to America. From there, the story jumps around in completely unexpected ways, with nods to Kafka’s work throughout. The challenges and plot are cleverly tied together to test your creative thinking and nudge you along the storyline.
This game is hugely abstract, as you might expect—when you’re not delving into patients’ minds to confront their nightmarish past, you’re trapped inside your own subconscious. When K is on the move, the puzzle will reflect that. Between locations, you’ll make your way across the world’s oddest board game or remove a cow from blocking a train track in an obscure but strangely logical way.
Married with a beautiful art style that recalls Magritte and Dali, The Franz Kafka Videogame is a thoughtful and surprising adventure.