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As the gaming industry continues to evolve we have been pleased to see an increasing LGBT presence in AAA games. However, Fragments of Him looks like it is ready to push forward in representing the community with a bisexual central character and an exploration in the themes of love, loss and bereavement.
The premise of Fragments of Him, the first game being produced by Dutch game studio Sassybot, seems like a simple one at first glance. The main character Will dies in a tragic accident, leaving his loved ones to cope with his loss.
What follows is a short and sweet exploration of how the people in Will’s life deal with his death, becoming the titular fragments in a unique second-person perspective story which sees the player explore events from the outside rather than take a direct hand in controlling the characters.
Among the characters included in the story are Will’s partner Harry, his ex-girlfriend Sarah and his grandmother Mary, who are each forced to deal with the reality that the person they love is no longer with them. The unique shift away from player control to a casual observer also gives the game a uniquely cinematic quality, allowing us to examine the emotional impact of love, death and bereavement in a more complete way. This, combined with the uniquely kitsch art style, gives Fragments of Him all the makings of an instant indie classic.
One of the reasons we are excited to play this game is due in no small part to the appearance of a central LGBT character. Indeed the fact that the game seems to explore the effects of Will’s passing from the point of view of his surviving partner, as well as an ex-girlfriend, indicates that the theme of sexuality and identity may well play a part in how the story plays out. It will also be good to see a game take on such an emotionally heavy subject in a way you just don’t see in the medium.
Check out the trailer below to see why we are hyped to see this game when it finally comes out later this year.
Fragments of Him doesn’t currently have a release date, but will be available for Xbox One, Playstation 4* and PC later this year.
*Update: After talking with Mata Haggis, the game & narrative designer for Fragments of Him, we can confirm that the game will be coming to Playstation 4 as well.
