Developed by Hollow Ponds and published by Annapurna Interactive, I Am Dead is a charming puzzle game about the afterlife and the memories people hang onto when we're gone.
The game was first announced back in March, though no information was given regarding its release date. Today, Annapurna Interactive confirmed that the game would be released for the Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam this September 2020.
Annapurna Interactive also uploaded a four-and-a-half-minute video that contains a longer sneak peek of the game, featuring commentary from the game's creators Ricky Hogg and Richard Haggett (Hohokum, Wilmot's Warehouse). The video showed off I Am Dead's charming gameplay functions while the two creators elaborated more on the title's unique premise.
I Am Dead follows a museum curator named Morris and his dog, Sparky - two recently-deceased beings who live on the island of Shelmerston. The two discover that an incoming disaster is coming to ruin their home, and embark on a journey to find a way to save the island by uncovering all its hidden mysteries and secrets.
Throughout the hidden object puzzle game, players must find more of Shelmerston's ghosts by exploring and uncovering memories about the deceased from the currently-living residents. As a ghost, Morris has unlocked a unique x-ray ability that allows him to see inside of objects as well as inside people's minds, which are vital resources in uncovering all the secrets of Shelmerston.
Despite the seemingly bleak premise, the game isn't meant to be scary or dark. "So this is a game about ghosts, but we don't think about them as ghosts really," explained the creators in the gameplay walkthrough video, "They aren't spooky at all. It's really a game about normal people who just happen to be dead. The stories of their lives told through the memories of people who knew them and the objects that they left behind."
I Am Dead will be released this September 2020. The game will be available for the Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. For those who are interested in keeping up with the game's development, be sure to Wish List the title on Steam now.
Source: Nintendo Soup