Lightning Rod Games have released a teaser for their soon to release project: A Fold Apart. What first began as a battle-focused game, has since developed into one which seeks to explore a much deeper meaning and relatable narrative. A Fold Apart tells the story of a couple, Sam and Alex, dealing with the effects of a long-distance relationship. Sam moves to the city to pursue a job opportunity, and his absence adds a strain to his relationship with Alex. They try to stay in touch through text messages and phone calls but this sometimes lead to miscommunications, which in turn can create emotional barriers.
From what we can tell, players will alternate control over Sam and Alex. Each character will begin on opposite sides of the paper. It is then up to the player to try to solve these puzzles by folding the paper in ways which allow for the couple to find and meet each other.
In a recent post by one of the studio’s co-founders, Mark Laframboise, the game is said to be based on a true story. Laframboise reveals that he too had experienced working through a long-distance relationship. After reuniting with his significant other, he wanted to create something that could express the feelings and struggles he experienced. “I really wanted to make a game that explored the emotional complexity of my own long-distance relationship. The catch was that I didn’t just want a game that had the story of a long-distance relationship; I wanted gameplay mechanics that emphasized this theme as well.”
As technology has made it easier to keep in touch with each other via texting or video chats, more and more people have to experience the strains of long-distance relationships. Despite how common they have become, it’s still very rare to see them represented earnestly in mainstream media, and that is especially true for video games. With our upcoming project, A Fold Apart, we sought to explore this theme in a way that is both true and interactive.
A Fold Apart will be available for the Nintendo Switch and PC (Windows) beginning this June. The game is also expected to be released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. News on these releases should be revealed later on in the year. Stay up to date the game’s development by checking out the game’s official Twitter and Facebook pages.