Facettes combines tarot symbolism with a story about a queer woman discovering herself
Described as a fantastical, autobiographical narrative experience, Facettes is a queer, narrative-heavy game that puts players in the role of The Author. The Author is a woman who is slowly discovering her queer identity with your help, and like many facets of her personality, she discovers a realm of possibilities on her journey.
Facettes is a game being developed by OtterWays, an indie studio that promises on their Kickstarter page to deliver a nuanced, inclusive game that tackles inclusiveness and LGBT+ themes through short, thrilling experiences. Facettes is just one of those experiences.
As the Author, you must create your own world full of heroes called The Potentials. These Potentials are born from the imagination of the author and have a connection to an item on said Author’s desk, with each Potential representing a facet of her personality. First, you need to unlock Potentials via rolling dice in a way that’s akin to tabletop games, and then the points you tallied up to enhance what they are and aren’t good at. For example, you could put a 20 in Feeling but a 5 in Independence to convey a deeply emotional Potential, but one that still falls back on others to help them out whenever they’re overwhelmed. No two Potentials are the same, and each have a past, purpose and connection to another Potential.
If it sounds complicated, then that’s because it sorta is. The player is The Author, but the Author is someone who uses her imagination to connect herself to her world of Mirror Ireland – a place ruled by a ruthless queen – and the Potentials that inhabit that world. As such, everything The Author imagines is played out through a mixture of reality and fiction.
From what was described, we’re certainly fascinated at what this game can convey to players. Facettes offers a seemingly unique narrative and a clever way to portray a queer story in a way that emphasizes contemplation in the player.
If you found yourself interested by Facettes, we recommend heading over to the game’s official Kickstarter and showing your support.
About The Author
