Odd Meter and 11 bit Studios have announced a narrative-based adventure game called INDIKA, which takes place in an alternate 19th century Russia. The game is scheduled for release on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S in 2024, with part of the game’s revenue being donated to help children affected by the war in Ukraine.
INDIKA sees players controlling the eponymous nun as she embarks on a journey to explore the duality of good and evil, and the understanding that nothing is absolute. Set from a third-person perspective, INDIKA marries exploration, environmental puzzle solving and a sprinkle of platforming, while challenging societal norms and in many ways resembling an art-house movie.
Dmitry Svetlow, Odd Meter’s founder and game director of INDIKA, commented:
Even before our country started the war, we walked a fine line working with topics that can get someone criminal prosecution in Russia After February 24, things were complicated even further as staying in Russia became both physically scary and, more importantly, morally difficult, so we decided to leave for another country. Nowadays, it has become especially obvious how relevant the topics raised in our game are.
Many problems of today’s Russia lie in the socio-political infantilism that has been hammered into its citizens over the centuries: humility, obedience, and patience are the main virtues imposed by our orthodox culture. So it’s not surprising that institutions such as the Russian Orthodox Church have recently become one of the primary weapons of propaganda, calling on parishioners to die for their homeland, and preaching a monstrous indifference to one’s own and other people’s lives.
INDIKA is due out on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S in 2024, with a concrete release date to be determined.