Fate
of Kai

Fate of Kai (2021) is a narrative puzzle game where you control the story rather than the characters. You discover Kai's story by walking through the panels of a comic book. It's a tale about a boy who wakes in a strange land handcuffed to a mysterious chest. As you read on, you can alter the timing and decisions being made, which have direct and indirect consequences in the rest of the branching story.

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You click through the pages and on the different points of interaction. Rather than a linear book, you end up exploring each chapter like a maze, modifying the characters' ideas to move the plot forward in different directions. Each time a character thinks of something, it's a chance to change the course of the narrative. You also have a chance to go back in time on occasion, affecting previous events that impact (and alter) your world. By changing these intentions, you solve puzzles that then open up more pages of the story.

It's a detailed and colourful book with over 700 panels that invite you into an adventure through 160 pages. It's designed to grow to meet your ambitions and ability, offering an elegant story to newcomers and a complex saga for more experienced players.

It's a rare experience with little reading but loads of comprehension and interpretation. It also required imagination and critical thinking to appreciate the impact each action can have. As the game develops, with each chapter evolving these ideas.

A Nintendo Switch version is planned.

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Our examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked Fate of Kai 3 years ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 2 years ago.