Verne:
The Shape of Fantasy

Verne: The Shape of Fantasy (2023) is a narrative adventure where you play author Jules Verne as he enters the strange world of his own novels. You talk to characters and choose what to say, traverse labyrinthine stages to avoid detection and solve brain-teasing puzzles. It stands out for the unusual use of Verne's historical science-fiction writing and how you manipulate reality to find ways to progress.

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Inspired by Verne's literary classic "20,000 Leagues Under the Seas", in the final years of the 19^th century, a devastating war between an all-powerful Nation and the Resistance threatens to destroy the world. Desperate to find a way out of the violence, you play Verne and team up with Captain Nemo as you set out on a mission to find an ancient relic with mysterious power. With help from a tool called the IMAG, which lets you change reality with your mind, your journey takes you to the corners of the earth, where only your wits and intuition will help you survive.

Play involves moving through stages undetected by moving between pieces of cover to avoid guards, talking to characters, and solving puzzles. When interacting with the people you meet, you can choose different responses which affect how they treat you. Puzzles range from moving different coloured lenses to rotating huge stone rings and require thought, patience, and logical thinking to solve. At certain points in the story, you can use the IMAG to alter reality by moving objects and opening doors. By creating small changes in the fabric of the world you can find ways to progress that didn't exist before.

The result is a game that feels like an interactive reimagining of Verne's seminal classic where science fiction combines with shifting reality and Indiana Jones-style puzzles, making for a unique and intriguing experience.

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Our examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked Verne: The Shape of Fantasy 16 months ago. It was re-examined by Thom Robertson and updated 3 months ago.