SIRE follows the protagonist’s journey to visit their father’s funeral on the other side of the world. Players combine cards to explore a darkly comedic, surreal world of loss and learning, in a combination of classic point-n-click adventure and real video footage of my father's actual artwork.

My Story

When my father passed away 7 years ago, the idea for SIRE was born. The game comes from an effort to show others that they are not alone, and that the dark and often confusing emotions that come with losing someone close to you are all okay. We are all completely unique in how we experience loss, and also just the same as everyone else. Similarly, SIRE is both highly specific to my own experience, as well as totally relevant to all those who lose someone important.

To those who have lost: you are not alone. Spend time with friends and family. Look for distraction, but don't hide from your feelings. You will be fine, just not right now.

Features

• A story about overcoming personal loss and generational trauma, interwoven with my own exploration of losing my father. SIRE is both a tribute to an imperfect, forgotten artist and an ode to complex parental relationships.

• An experimental yet highly playable art game that mixes a point 'n click adventure with a modern digital card game.

• Combine cards to solve puzzles as the player travels to a distant land to visit their late father's funeral.

• Includes video and audio recordings of my own experience with losing a loved one.

• A playtime of around 1 to 2 hours.

• Collect artwork for the Museum of Memories that showcases the surviving works of the artist Arthur van Laarhoven.

• Music by the talented Serat, a multi-genre project of Vlas Presnetsov, who is also known for his ambient project Blear Moon.

SIRE is an art project partially funded by Stimuleringsfonds NL