Someone is watching in Orwell… and it’s you.

With the latest ABS Census drama reminding Australian’s of the vulnerability of their personal data, this may be in slightly bad taste. Or maybe, someone is watching…

In the style of games such as “Papers, Please”, “Her Story” and “Cibele”, Orwell raises serious questions about contemporary society in a way that only a game can.  Promising themes of balance between security and freedom, what it means when we trade privacy for connection, and the impact of the internet on the way we perceive our world and are perceived by others; Orwell takes the modern world of social media and reminds us of the classic lessons of 1984.

This first reveal from Osmotic Studios, released through Surprise Attack Games is just a teaser of what’s to come, but definitely makes this title one to watch ahead of it’s ‘late 2016’ (i.e. Dec) release date on Steam for PC and Mac.

It’s still unclear exactly what the gameplay will consist of, but we do know that this is a narrative piece that places the player directly into the storyline as a new recruit to ‘the Nation’s’ secret new security program – Orwell. Through Orwell, the player gains access to information from the internet, and the personal communications and private files of anyone suspected of connection to the terror attacks. Acting as an impartial outsider, the player must choose what information to provide to security services, and what to hold back. These choices will have consequences for those involved and affect the outcome of the story as it unfolds. For more information, check out their website or Steam page.

Lets just hope no one gets the bright idea of hybridising titles like this with Pokémon GO and begins turning data collection and spying into the latest craze… Wait, ah well it’s out there now.