WP: First of all, hi! And thanks for taking the time to talk to us about Anamorphine.

SC: Hi, the pleasure’s all mine! Samantha Cook here, co-founder and producer at Artifact 5.

WP: What can you tell us about the story in Anamorphine (without spoiling too much, of course)?

SC: Anamorphine is the story of Tyler, his wife Elena, and the turns their relationship takes as Elena’s depression rears its head after an accident. You’re playing through Tyler’s memories, trying to piece together what happened to both of them, and why his memories are in such a twisted state.

WP: What sparked the decision to make a game centered around mental illness? Was this borne of personal experience at all?

SC: Our team has a mix of experiences with mental health issues. The story is not autobiographical, but there are elements we’ve pulled from our lives. Personally, I have many friends and have dated people dealing with mental health issues. About 20% of people will experience a mental health issue in their lifetime, which means the amount of people who know someone going through that is very high. So, making a game about someone not being sure how to help his struggling partner felt like something extremely relatable.

WP: Following on from that question a little, the crux of Elena’s story is that she is a cellist, what was the reasoning behind choosing that particular instrument and profession?

SC: The cello is a beautiful instrument, visually and musically. It’s large enough to really take up space in the game. People who devote their lives to music are often passionate and talented, but also underpaid and have had to devote themselves to a lifetime of intense study in order to rise to the top. It’s evocative to depict someone who has put so much into her profession and passion, only to lose it.

WP: I like to think that video games are a great medium for helping people interpret and understand aspects of mental health, what are your thoughts on other games that have tackled similar themes?

SC: One that’s gotten a lot of great responses was Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, which is an intense game that tackled psychosis through a fantasy world. This game put you in Senua’s shoes, and it was very effective at giving people a perspective on what it is like to not be able to trust the things your brain is telling you. Outside of Senua, games about depression and anxiety seem to have a mixed reputation. Some people don’t want to play a game that reminds them of daily life, and that’s totally fine. We want to make this game for the people who want a different kind of gaming experience that tackles real-life issues by exploring them through highly surreal introspection.