Do you remember the incredible success of the interactive film Black Mirror Bandersnatch? Well something like this is coming. Part hostage thriller, part social drama, The Gallery videogame is poised to revive the FMV live action genre.
The Gallery is coming: the new live action developed by Aviary Studios
The development house Aviary Studios is thrilled to announce that The Gallery – the company’s new live action video game – will be launched in April for PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation and mobile (iOS and Android). And, for the first time in Europe, The Gallery will also be released in UK cinemas, where audiences will determine the development of the plot. A solution that made the Black Mirror interactive film a success: Bandersnatch. Viewers will then be able to vote and help the protagonists make decisions that will affect the story’s ending.
The video game, written and directed by Paul Raschid, one of the most prolific creatives of interactive video games and films, presents itself as an exciting combination of thriller and social drama. There is also a purely cinematic aesthetic. Filmed over a 6-week period between February and March 2021, the game immerses the audience in an interactive experience set in two time periods: 1981 e 2021. Two eras of considerable political, social and cultural importance in the history of the United Kingdom. Players will face over 150 crucial choices as they navigate an intriguing storyline steeped in mystery.
The Gallery also features a very interesting cast consisting of, between George Blagden (Versailles e Vikings); Anna Popplewell (The Chronicles of Narnia); Kara Tointon (Mr. Selfridge and EastEnders); Rebecca Root (The Queen of Chess); Richard Fleeshman (The Sandman e Coronation Street), Shannon Tarbet (Killing Eve e Love Sarah) e Fehinti Balogun (I May Destroy You).
The Gallery’s story unfolds between 2021 (first three images) and 1981 (last three)
FMV: Live action video games from the 80’s cyberpunk to today
The live action video game (FMV) genre has existed since the mid-1980s, thanks in part to the creative genius of David Lawson. The genre at the time was seen as the future of video games, but the truth is that the technical limitations of the time never allowed live action to take off. Now, however, with the discovery of cyberpunk of those years and the technological progress, the times seem to be ripe. The rebirth of the genre began as early as 2015 with videogame titles such as Late Shift and Her Story. But the real success came in 2019, when Netflix released the interactive film Bandersnatch.
We just have to wait for April, when The Gallery will arrive for consoles, PC and mobile. If you are a UK resident, you can check in which cinemas the interactive screening will take place on this site.