

Enola was powerful. Horrifying. Even though it rarely outright showed the terrible things it implied, it was a heartbreaking, harrowing look at the aftermath of sexual violence. It did so through the eyes of the lover of someone who’s endured it, though, instead of the person who’d actually been assaulted, which I felt was a smart decision. It seemed easier (to me) to imagine what an outsider might feel in that sort of situation, creating a gameplay experience that communicates all of the fear, anger, sadness, and desire for revenge that you would feel over your loved one’s pain. Now, The Domaginarium is looking to expand on this dark tale with a new, free Nightmare Mode that directly deals with the thoughts and feelings of the victim..





I’m honestly not sure if I can handle this mode. Enola‘s Nightmare Mode is about Angelica, the woman who was victimized, putting players in her head as she explores weird environments and solves bizarre puzzles built around her traumatic experience. It does give the game a bunch of new areas to explore and three new endings, but if it’s anything like Enola‘s regular game, it may be very hard to take. The trailer alone made me very uncomfortable with the darkness and anger inside of Angelica’s thoughts, leaving me nervous to suffer alongside her.



This new mode will help flesh out the story and is available right from the start, so those hoping to hear more of Angelica and Enola’s story can dive right in. As nervous as I am about exploring the subject matter, Enola showed me that The Domaginarium can handle complex emotions and events with grace without underplaying their gravity. Hearing Angelica’s experience second hand was hard enough to take as is, but perhaps through their skills in telling a brutal story through imagery, they’ll be able to convey her memories and feelings with care. If you already have the game, you can find out for yourself right now.



Enola is available for $14.99 on Steam and the developer’s site. For more information on the game and The Domaginarium, you can follow them on Facebook, YouTube, IndieDB, and Twitter.

Joel Couture http://www.indiegamesplus.com Joel has been covering indie games for various sites including IndieGames.com, Siliconera, Gamasutra, Warp Door, CG Magazine, and more over the past seven years, and has written book-length studies on Undertale and P.T.. Joel is constantly on the lookout for digital experiences that push the boundaries of what games can be, and seeks to delve into the creative process, meanings, and emotion labor that goes into the work of artists worldwide. See author's posts