Bury Me My Love combines many of the themes we’ve discussed this semester into one game.. Just like Her Story, in Bury Me My Love, the form mirrors the content. Bury Me My Love tells the story of Nour who is a Syrian refugee and is trying to escape to Europe. The most unique aspect of this game is how the story is told through text messages between you (her husband, Majd) and Nour. The player is able to choose between different responses and the form of communication (text message, photos, emojis). Players must also wait in “real time” in order to receive a message from Nour. Notifications are sent to your phone – truly blurring your world with Nours. This suspense combined with the agency granted to players forces us into Nour and Majd’s world. Unlike Her Story, where the player’s role was a foil, in Bury Me My Love the player’s role is a protagonist – a conventional main character with a backstory and motivation. The interactivity of the game paired with the user interface makes the story of Nour and Majd more compelling and intimate.
The nature of text messages are slow which mimics the anxiety that Majd faces as he tries to stay in contact with Nour. Not only that, there is a bit of dysfunctionality within the game. I wanted to scroll back up and reread my previous messages with Nour but was unable to do so. If this was intentional, it was to emphasize how important Majd’s text messages are and the time-sensitive nature. Not only that, it could also represent the poor connectivity between Majd and Nour. There were also times where the text messages wouldn’t send and the frustration I felt must’ve been similar to Majd trying to get into contact with his wife. These quick decisions that I had to make reminded me of our CYOA book and how after we made a choice, we were not able to go back.
Finally, the most impressive aspect of Bury Me My Love to me was how no matter which options you chose – the story was clear. The relationship between Majd and Nour is clear and the environment that Nour is fleeing from is also very obvious.