In the Fall of 2019, the PlayStation 4 exclusive Erica was released onto the platform. Now, almost two years later the developer, Flavourworks, is bringing the title to Steam. This appears to be the next game in series of PlayStation 4 exclusives working their way to PC, following other titles like Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone. While the IP is owned by Sony, Flavourworks is self-publishing the port to Steam.
Erica is a live-action, FMV (full motion video) thriller centered on Erica, who is a young girl tormented with nightmares concerning her father’s murder and is reinvolved in the case after receiving something in the mail. It is up to the player to unravel this mystery and figure out the truth behind his death. The main type of gameplay is based upon the traditional choose your own adventure-type games where the player’s choices will impact the story as they explore this branching narrative. There is also a uniquely haunting soundtrack composed by Austin Wintory, who has worked on other games like Journey and Assassin’s Creed Syndicate.
The genre of FMV-type games has seen somewhat of a resurgence in the last couple of years due to games like Erica and Her Story. The co-founder and creative director of Flavourworks spoke on the genre.
With Erica we’ve made a breakthrough in terms of taking cinematic live action video games to new heights. The way that the world is tactile, that transitions are seamless, and the marriage of film and gameplay is harmonious, leads us to believe that we have redefined what FMV can be.
Erica is expected to release on Steam next month, on May 25, for $11.99, however, there will be a 10% on the game when it releases. Currently, Erica is available on PlayStation 4 and was released for iOS devices earlier this year.