Nina Freeman's babysit 'em up Kimmy is out now
Art of growing up
Interactive fiction game Kimmy [official site] is out now, and it's got some serious pedigree behind it. It's written by Nina Freeman, designer of Cibele, and illustrator Laura Knetzger, who worked with Freeman on the powerful Freshman Year. Set in 1960s Massachusetts, Kimmy has you play as Dana, a babysitter who's worried about a little girl called Kimmy. It has a demo, if you fancy a go.
I'm a big fan of its painted art style, but it's the story that's the clear focus of the project. It's a "game about childhood" and looks like something from a well-drawn kids book, but it's "intended for adults", the creators say. There's conversations about death, profanity and alcohol, and the game's description suggests there's something more sinister going on, promising secrets about Kimmy's "mysterious family".
As well as visiting different parts of Kimmy's neighbourhood and talking to the characters there, you can also play "street games" and collect trinkets. The trailer shows simple tasks like noughts and crosses, Frisbee, and Yahtzee.
Kimmy was originally commissioned for a Humble Monthly Bundle but has since become available elsewhere. Along with Freeman and Knetzger, it's made by programmer Aaron Freedman, composer Louie Zong and sound designer Amos Roddy.
It will set you back £6.99/9,99€/$9.99 on Steam, the Humble Store, and itch.io. If you're on the fence there's a free demo on the Steam page.
Here's the full trailer. What do you think?
