Orwell

Orwell is a social-awareness game in the form of an interactive thriller that brilliantly addresses the highly topical and socially relevant issue of surveillance. It blends elements from the NSA scandal, the movie Minority Report, and, of course, the novel 1984. Players are tasked with investigating a terrorist attack in a fictional world. In doing so, they experience the pervasive nature of surveillance and voyeurism and become part of the surveillance machinery. Players (in the role of the police) do not always succeed immediately in identifying the correct perpetrator of an attack. This provides an intense, firsthand experience of how quickly suspects can end up in the crosshairs of surveillance. In addition, players are made aware of the important role social media can play in surveillance scenarios. It should be noted that although the game was developed by a German studio, it is currently available only in English.

Orwell encourages reflection and discussion without coming across as preachy or sacrificing the fun of the game.

The DCP Jury 2017