I asked OpenAI’s GPT-3 to generate 31 different videogame ideas, one for each day of Blaugust, each dealing in some way with that particular day of the month. Here’s its idea for August 14th: “The 14 Pages of Sarah Woods”.
Number: 14. Title: “The 14 Pages of Sarah Woods” Genre: Mystery/Exploration. In this exploration game in the genre of “Going Home” and “What Remains of Edith Finch”, you play as a private investigator hired by the parents of a missing girl. Your only clue is that she left behind a notebook with the number “14” written on every page.
You’ll have to use your deductive skills to figure out where she went and why. The game is set in a small town, so you’ll have to talk to the locals and search for clues. The graphics are colorful and the gameplay is straightforward. There’s not much of a challenge, but it’s a fun game to play if you’re looking for a lighthearted mystery.
As you work through the game, the pages in the notebook will slowly reveal the girl’s story. You’ll learn about her friends, her family, and what she was going through in the weeks leading up to her disappearance. The number 14 takes on a different meaning with every page. In one page, it might be the number of days she was missing. In another, it might be the number of people she talked to that day. Slowly but surely, you’ll start to piece together her story. By the time you discover what happened to her, you’ll have formed a strong connection with the girl.
The 14 Pages of Sarah Woods is a touching game that’s worth playing for its emotional impact alone. But it’s also worth playing because it’s a well-made mystery game with excellent writing and interesting characters. The development house, The Secret Number 14, is a new studio formed by former members of Telltale Games. The team has a strong pedigree, and it shows in “The 14 Pages of Sarah Woods”. They earned their chops on such games as The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us, so they know a thing or two about telling a good story.
Nothing better sets the mood for this sort of game than the music. The original score by Laura Shigihara is haunting and beautiful. It’s the perfect accompaniment to the game’s ethereal atmosphere. The 14 Pages of Sarah Woods is a short game, but it’s a satisfying one. It’s the kind of game that will stay with you long after you’ve finished playing.
Graphics
“The 14 Pages of Sarah Woods”’s visuals are colorful and pleasing. The small town you explore is brought to life with a bright, cartoonish style. It’s not a realistic game, but the visuals are still attractive.
Gameplay
The gameplay is simple but effective. You’ll spend most of your time walking around and talking to people. The puzzles are easy to solve, but they’re still enjoyable.
Controls
The controls are straightforward and easy to learn. You won’t have any trouble moving around or interacting with the environment.
Conclusion
“The 14 Pages of Sarah Woods” is a short game, but it’s one you’ll want to play multiple times. There are multiple endings, and each one is worth seeing. You’ll also want to go back and explore the town more thoroughly after you’ve finished the story.
A few notes here. Obviously, Telltale Games is a real game company, and Laura Shigihara is a real musician and singer who works in the game industry. Just as obviously, they are in no way related to this entirely fictional game.
I wondered how the game would end. So I asked the AI to tell me how it ended. It said the girl was never found. I told it to try again. It then told me that Sarah had actually been in the house the whole time (must have been a large house), just avoiding everyone as she tried to come to terms with tragedies uncovered during the game. To me, that’s how this fictional game ends. Not with sadness, but with healing.
I wonder how the pages of the notebook reveal anything, given that I don’t think this is a supernatural game. I think maybe the way the number 14 is written leads to clues; it might look like a route marker, or a number of a police car, or… stuff like that.
