Francesca Viganò
Before we delve into this review and this new descent into horror, I would like to thank Banana Chan for sending us a copy of her game, Forgery, published by Game and a Curry. It is a journaling game about the life of Tempest, a young freelance artist struggling to find work in New York City.
If you decide to purchase this game after reading the review, you can find the digital copy only on DrivethruRPG for $15 (approximately €15).
As we have seen in Deimos Academy and The Darkness at the Brink of Ohio, the author has already accustomed us to dense stories and disturbing situations. Forgery marks a new step into the abyss, the contours of which you will define. Literally.
Experimenting with Game Design
It certainly cannot be said that Banana Chan is stuck in one type of game design. In less than ten years, she has gone from collaborating with major publishers on high-profile titles — yes, even the world’s most-played game — to experimenting with new structures that all revolve around perceived and experienced horror.
Work after work, game after game and experiment after experiment, she accompanies the reader on an extremely personal journey through history to the point where one can touch the abyss, if one wishes to. As in her other works, the zero time of the game is defined, and the location is extremely precise. These two factors provide a framework within which to operate, offering boundaries that, on the one hand, impose limits and, on the other, provide a safe and familiar enclosure. After all, there is nothing more frightening than the unknown. The intention of Forgery is clear and precise: to immerse oneself in a powerful and utterly personal experience.
Security Systems and Gaming Tools
Forgery is an intense game that explores the financial challenges faced by a recently graduated artist as she embarks on her career. It encourages reflection on her ethics, particularly the decisions she will make as an artist. As if these themes were not frightening enough, there is also a pact with the devil.
I want to be clear: Forgery is intended exclusively for adult audiences. The author is explicit in outlining how to calibrate the game, thanks in part to security systems, and in suggesting a structured debriefing process that may include a consultation with a therapist if necessary.
Calibrating the Game
Forgery is a solo game. There is therefore no need to rush, and you can stop playing whenever you want. The author herself suggests taking breaks if the emotions aroused become too intense.
For this reason, an entire chapter is dedicated to calibrating the gaming experience. This chapter lists a series of suggestions for approaching the text and conducting the subsequent debriefing.
The designer was aware of its potential impact on players. Every suggestion is precise and timely, leading to a gradual but definite detachment from the experience. Such attention to detail is not always evident in this genre, and it demonstrates not only care in the creation of the work, but also towards its users.
Forgery: Playing with Colours
The game’s mechanics are extremely simple.
We will play as Tempest, the protagonist: a young artist who has just graduated. Our task is to read the text and take notes on the character’s thoughts, feelings and reactions to specific questions. However, that’s not all the game involves.
Immersive storytelling requires players to choose their path using a colouring portrait provided with the game.
You will therefore need coloured pencils, markers or watercolours to play. No particular artistic ability is required — simply follow the instructions to colour in the picture. Based on the colours used for specific parts of the painting, you will be directed to a particular chapter to find out what will happen to the character.
Colour choices are entirely personal, but if you want to experiment with a more random approach, you can use a six-sided die to choose your colours. Depending on the result, you can choose from warm colours (red, orange and yellow), cool colours (blue, purple and green) or neutral colours (white, grey, brown, black and beige).
Review of the Aesthetics of Forgery
Throughout this review, we have seen that Forgery is about art. It achieves this by involving the player in creating a unique piece. The protagonist is an artist and painter. The game’s visual and aesthetic aspects had to be engaging and interesting.
An illustration created by the game’s author introduces each chapter, accompanying the slow and inexorable progression of the story. While these images do not refer to the plot, they become increasingly disturbing and contribute to heightening the player’s sense of unease.
The bold brushstrokes and defined colours in an increasing number of paintings contribute to the heightened sense of tension. As we proceed through the story, we will experience the feeling of being constantly observed.
The text is extremely functional. Its single-column layout and large font make everything particularly easy to understand. The game instructions are highlighted in bold, as are the questions we have to answer, chapter by chapter. The result is that the approximately 150 pages of text flow with absolute simplicity, leaving room for the gaming experience, a quality that is becoming increasingly rare.
Conclusions of the Review of Forgery
In conclusion, I can honestly say that Forgery is an interesting game if you want to confront uncomfortable questions and navigate unexpected situations. It is a roleplaying game that should be approached without haste; you should take the time to evaluate and decide how to proceed. However, as it is a game based on multiple choices related to a specific plot, it is less replayable than a traditional TTRPG.
References to television series such as Search Party or movies such as The Devil’s Advocate can help you to understand the tone of the game better.
This product is recommended for those looking for an intense experience who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty with paint (I opted for finger paints). It is an excellent addition to your library.
