Taking place in a Latin American town that mysteriously vanished off the map, this upcoming indie detective game emphasizes first-hand exploration of a non-linear web of interconnected events, going back in time to discover for yourself the true secret history of this place. Funeral for the Sun features a unique hand-painted aesthetic and it's clear some magical-realism type storytelling will be creeping in around the edges as you dive into the past of Cerro Milagroso.
A town of over 700 people disappearing overnight sounds impossible, and maybe it is. Assuming there's more to the story, you're goin back to witness events that took place in 1968 before a great fire consumed the town, searching for clues and making connections. The trailer shows off some Golden Idol style fill-in-the-blank detective journaling, and the idea of connecting names to reconstructed scenes of their deaths naturally brings to mind Return of the Obra Dinn.
After the unusual and exaggerated visual style, one of the aspects advertised in Funeral that intrigues me most is the reference to a non-linear web of clues, causes and effects that you'll be exploring and navigating, mixed up with the promise of unreliable information in statements like "everyone is a liar until proven otherwise."
Equally interesting (and sadly unusual in the current videogame landscape) is the focus on this place and time in history: the game is "deeply rooted in Latin American tradition and folklore" and aims to "shine a light on real world histories of rebellion and resistance against colonial oppression." All of these factors and influences combine to create an air of something pretty unique.
Funeral for the Sun is listed as "coming soon" on Steam, where you can currently play a free demo or wishlist the game.
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