My dad spent a not-inconsiderable variety of hours waging warfare towards the native squirrel inhabitants over management of his hen feeders. He fought bravely, and resolutely, and finally he misplaced: After an incident involving an indignant squirrel who received free at the back of his truck, he determined the entire thing wasn’t well worth the problem. Detente was achieved: The squirrels had been permitted to go about their enterprise kind of unmolested, and one way or the other life went on just about because it all the time had.
All of this got here to thoughts right now with the announcement that Nuts, the “journey in squirrel surveillance” that was revealed on the 2020 Guerrilla Collective showcase, shall be out on Steam and Itch.io on February 4.
As a rookie area researcher working deep within the Melmoth Forest, you may spend your days inserting cameras and your nights learning footage as you observe the actions and behaviors of the world’s squirrels: Their motion patterns, their hiding locations, and no matter else it’s that squirrels stand up to once they suppose there is no one watching. The builders promise an “an intimate, immersive story with full voice performing,” that includes “daring visuals and foley sound results that envelop you in a vibrant forest.”All of it seems to be and sound fairly tranquil, harking back to Firewatch in some methods, and but I am fairly certain there’s extra going right here than meets the attention. For one factor, there’s an nearly throwaway remark within the announcement suggesting that the squirrels are behaving “surprisingly.” The launch date trailer launched right now goes to some sudden locations, too: Why would a squirrel stash dynamite and matches?
That is a good query.
I don’t know the place that is all headed, however that type of bait-and-switch was on the coronary heart of Firewatch too, and even when it did not fairly repay in the long run it made for an exhilarating summertime journey. I do not count on Nuts to have have the emotional depth or heft of Firewatch (TNT-equipped squirrels, actually?) however it’s definitely captured my curiosity. I wish to know what these little rodents are getting as much as.
