This 3D visual novella offers you choices that matter… just not in the way you think
It’s become something of a trope associated with interactive narratives in games: Supposedly, any choices the player makes should have a radical impact on the story itself in order for them to be good. If not, some people go so far as to pretend the choices “don’t matter,” resulting in an unsatisfying experience. We thought a lot about that when designing The Wreck, and decided to try something hopefully a little more subtle.
The conflict we had to solve was this: on the one hand, we wanted to tell a specific story, one of resilience, redemption and flowering, in which a character who begins in the worst possible situation works his way through to some well-deserved consolation. But on the other hand, we also wanted to make a video game that responds to players’ input, gives them answers to their questions, and convinces them that they have a role to play in the story we’re telling.
The first tool we used was to give the player access to the mind of Junon, the main character. Every time something comes to her mind, her thoughts will pop up on screen for you to read. Better: When she’s faced with a dilemma, like when she’s not sure how to react to her sister Diane’s suddenly serious tone, you’re the one choosing a strategy for her… and forcing her to face the consequences.
These “thought choices” are not critical in the sense that they will not completely redefine the story. At best, they will shed some light on an aspect of Junon’s personality that has been kept secret up until this moment. But they allow for a strong connection between the player and our main character. Because you are literally inside her head, and because she thinks the things you want her to think, you feel more and more connected to her — and involved in her destiny.
Getting Junon to think something also opens up new dialogue options to choose from, allowing the player to also influence the conversation Junon has with the game’s NPCs. That’s where The WreckThe narrative of will be non-linear: each encounter consists of several different sections of dialogue, but we’ve written them to be vivid enough for you to encounter them in many different orders. Once you’ve completed an NPC encounter, we’ve made sure that you have all the information you need to allow the full story to unfold, while still giving the impression that your impact on Junon is real and direct .
Take a look at these flowcharts: As Junon advances through the game’s “levels,” the story structure gradually becomes more complex. And yet it feels fluid and linear to the player, as if there were no other way to reach the inevitable end of the game. Of course, this design decision is risky, with some complaining that the choices they’re making don’t seem to have enough impact. But we hope that for the majority of players, this concern won’t matter much compared to the strong bond they’ve gradually developed with Junon and their desire to know how their redemption story ends.
For every thought the player instills in Junon, he will be rewarded with a new nugget of information. You’ll learn a little more about why she is the way she is, the traumas she’s hiding, and how she’s progressing in her struggle to put her life back on track. Your choices commit you to your relationship with her, and when she can finally recall a crucial — and dark — part of her story that redefines her entire relationship with her mother, you’ll be familiar enough with her to tell her help to do this final choice. The only one that really matters.
This ultimate choice takes you to three very different endings that will redefine the tone The Wreck complete. Usually when games do that, it can feel a bit clunky: there’s the ending that feels natural, “canon”, and then there are the others, the “smaller ones” that you might even regret. We really wanted to avoid that. So this final election isn’t about how the story will end — in fact, the story ends just before that.
In fact, this decision, this final commitment from you, the player, is about what Junon is going to do with everything that has happened to her. By choosing one of these three choices, you define the kind of woman she will become. You invent a new Junon, one ready to come back to life as soon as you turn off the console. And that’s only possible because you’ve invested in them choice after choice.The Wreck is available today on Xbox Series S|X, Xbox One S and X.
The Wreck
The pixel hunt
$19.99
At 36, Junon’s life is in shambles: her career has stalled, she is emotionally numb and her personal life is falling apart. Things come to a head when she is called to the emergency room to find her estranged mother in critical condition. This is the most important day of Junon’s life, and if nothing changes, it could be her last. Relive the past. Experience Junon’s memories and piece together the story of her past, including the tragic mystery that lies at the heart. Change the present. Use your understanding of Junon’s trauma to change how she navigates the day, unlocking new dialogue options and healing broken relationships. Embrace the future. When you are at the bottom there is no other way but up. Help Junon find peace within himself and discover the humor, beauty, and hope that lies in even the darkest days of life.
