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Controversial dev Luc Bernard's Holocaust-based adventure game Imagination is the Only Escape in the works for iOS and Android

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Controversial dev Luc Bernard's Holocaust-based adventure game Imagination is the Only Escape in the works for iOS and Android

"When I was younger, I started researching the Holocaust and what I saw really changed me, I could not believe such things had happened, I felt like it's something that more people need to know about."

Luc Bernard doesn't make things easy for himself. The next project for the controversial Mecho Wars developer, Imagination is the Only Escape, has been in gestation for over five years. In it, Bernard tells the story of a young Jewish boy caught in the middle of the Holocaust.

Imagination is the Only Escape was originally slated for release on the DS, but Nintendo eventually balked at the idea of publishing this game on its platform. Thus, the game got stuck in a sort of limbo.

Thanks to the rise and rise of crowdfunding, though, Bernard thinks the time is right to release the game.

"Let's be honest, no publisher will fund such a title, so it's nearly impossible to make something like this, that's why I decided to turn to crowdfunding."

An Indiegogo campaign is currently live for Imagination is the Only Escape, which Bernard describes as a "classic adventure game".

In it, you play as Samuel, a French boy who witnesses the Nazi occupation of France at first hand. He escapes to the country, pretending to be an orphaned Christian. And there he meets a magical fox.

"Before the occupation, you will get to spend time with Samuel as a normal child in France, and then you will get to experience how it is to be a Jewish child during the occupation."

"Then later in the story when he is passed off as a Christian orphan, Samuel starts to escape more into his own imagination believing that he will see his mother again if he helps this fox."

"During those segments you will control both Samuel and Renard (the fox) who will help defend Samuel against dark creatures in the forest and help him solve puzzles."

As well as viewing his 'new' game as an educational title - showing players the horrors of war and occupation through the eyes of a child - Bernard considers Imagination is the Only Escape something of a rallying cry for video game developers to tackle more mature, dark, and controversial subjects.

"If books and films can tackle it, why can't interactive mediums too? I feel like it being interactive will allow people to experience it more, and get more attached to the characters. If we are to be respected as much as other artistic industries we must be able to tackle the same subjects."

The Indiegogo campaign for Imagination is the Only Escape will run until October 17th. Bernard is looking to raise $125,000 to fund the game.

Harry Slater
Harry Slater
Harry used to be really good at Snake on the Nokia 5110. Apparently though, digital snake wrangling isn't a proper job, so now he writes words about games instead.