Here we sit, two weeks away from Dordogne’s launch. The game both looks stunning and features interesting gameplay, and I’m excited to eventually get my hands on it. Set in the South of France, the game follows a woman as she explores the home in which she spent her childhood summers. The game was created by a Cannes Award-winning art director, who is featured in today’s video.
In this narrative adventure game, Mimi is a young woman visiting the home of her recently deceased grandmother. Turns out, grandma left her letters and puzzles to solve that require Mimi to revisit her childhood memories and reconnect with the little girl who marvelled at everything.
Dordogne is the first title from French indie studio Je Ne Sais Quoi, and is lead by Cédric Babouche. His childhood was spend in the radiant French countryside, and the below video has him speaking about his personal history with the game’s setting as well as the hand-painted watercolour artistic direction used to breathe life into it. Babouche has been honing in on his watercolour techniques, and the visual style of the game is breathtaking.
In the game, players will uncover the close relationship Mimi had with her grandmother through through touching and fun gameplay moments. These are described as slices of life, from trivial to symbolic; basically, they’re designed to trigger a reaction in players that has them remembering their own childhoods. Young Mimi will discover the region’s beautiful environments, faithfully adapted into watercolour. She’ll take forest walks, climb, kayak, explore caves – all typical activities for the region.
Players will need to be resourceful and patient, while playing as both adult and child Mimi, to solve puzzles and mysteries left by her grandmother. With pictures, sounds, objects, and words that Mimi collects, Mimi’s journal will be created. They will depend entirely on the playthrough at hand. The symbolic object of a high sentimental value reflects Mimi’s adventures and memories of Dordogne, and the connection between her and her grandmother.
Developed by Je Ne Sais Quoi (part of Umanimation), and published for Focus Entertainment, Dordogne will be released for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, and Xbox One on June 13.
