I Am Dead

It's not often that a game has been able to address the celebration of life, though death, quite like I Am Dead.

As a puzzle game, I Am Dead isn't necessarily anything to write home about. Outside of some wildly captivating visual mechanics, the game itself is shallow but accessible. That said, players that take their time to explore every nook and cranny on the island, or even mess around with the cross-section mechanic, are rewarded for their time with more little tidbits about the world that bolster one of the most interesting stories I've experienced in a game. I Am Dead breaks conventional cinematic storytelling norms to provide a uniquely grounded story about death that's not held back by grief and...

Like Morris Lupton himself, it feels like I Am Dead doesn’t quite know what it is. It’s simultaneously an easygoing puzzle game, a gorgeously gentle but affecting set of homespun stories, and an intricate, experimental exploration experience. The beauty of this is that it never feels the need to commit to one focus – I ended up pivoting between all three ideas organically; playing, toying and learning by turn as I sifted through Shelmerston’s array of explorable still life objects. Neither Morris nor I Am Dead are perfect – but I sort of love them anyway.

It’s the narrative and world around you that will keep you playing I Am Dead. The actual gameplay – seeking out objects by manipulating your environment – can feel rather monotonous rather quickly. If anything, I Am Dead feels like a more mature, more evolved take on the hidden object genre, and so it won’t appeal to everyone. But thanks to wonderfully-told stories and a bizarre but delightful mix of fantasy and grounded reality, this is a short adventure that’s fun while it lasts.

An inescapably charming 3D puzzle game with many hidden surprises, I Am Dead's low-pressure treasure hunt and sense of fun is another good tonic for trying times. Being dead is, it turns out, jolly old time.

From its heartful story that is only made better by a charming set of characters, to the soothing atmosphere of the gorgeous island-town of Shelmerston, I am Dead constructs a serendipitous but accurate portrayal of the usually sorrowful emotions around death.

Treated not just to a strong narrative but one that was assisted by the somewhat silly art and humorous narration, the stunning, low-poly art helped tell the story of I Am Dead. All important characters in I Am Dead are brilliantly voiced, and the dialogue between them is humorous. Sparky sounds like a delightfully whimsical young woman, and Morris a kindly old gent. Tapping into the memories of some of the other islanders you’re met with a wide array of wistful reminiscing that, without proper direction, would have lost all meaning. I would often fall into the stories because of how well they...

I Am Dead is a hidden object game where players can get as much or as little out of it as they wish. It's a short but simple game, perhaps too simple for some.

I Am Dead has a very interesting story to tell, a colorful and varied environment in which to tell it, and a very cool way of going about the telling. The use of ghostly powers to explore, but never directly interact with the world, yet still solve puzzles was quite fun and unique. The more I unraveled of the mystery, the more intrigued I was and the more I wanted to know about each of the people presented to me, their lives, their connections, and the island they lived on. The additional bits like Grenkins and Mr. Whitstable, while amusing, don’t really do enough to add to that core experienc...

If you are looking for a charming little puzzler and hidden object game then you cannot go wrong with I Am Dead. The story experience can be swept through in a few hours, and they will pass quite quickly, but it's an unforgettable journey.

I Am Dead is a special game because it gets you thinking. Not about the characters themselves, but about life as a whole and everything that surrounds it. Its puzzles are nowhere near challenging and the exploration is limited to small areas, but they are still enjoyable thanks to the heartwarming story that unfolds after each section. When combining it all with the vivid visuals and remarkable voice work, you cannot help but feel right at home.

I’ll be honest and admit that I Am Dead from Hollow Ponds didn’t really grab my attention when I first saw it advertised. The art design left a lot to be desired and it wasn’t clear what the game even was from the trailer. I was ready to brush it off until I saw it was being published by Annapurna Interactive, one of my favorite publishers. You can always count on a game from them bringing something different to the table, from the fluid movement in The Pathless to the time-looping myst...