WE ARE OFK
Developer/publisher Team OFK
Format PC
Origin US
Release 2022
A fter chatting with writer/director Teddy Dief a year ago, we weren’t sure just how interactive this episodic ‘interactive EP’ would be. We Are OFK doesn’t leave us in doubt for long, its menu making its intentions crystal clear. “Who’s watching?” you’re asked, as you select from a range of emojis on a Netflix-like profile screen, while moving your mouse over an episode title shows how long it is, along with a progress bar. Depending on your perspective, you might see that as a statement of intent or fair warning; either way, as the plot stylishly unfolds, we start wondering if that O should be an A.
Still, the vibes, as the kids say, are immaculate. Bathed in pastel hues, all
shimmering surfaces and sharp edges, LA has rarely looked (or sounded) quite so appealing. Not that wannabe musician Itsumi Saito seems especially enamoured with it; having just moved there after a messy break-up with her girlfriend, she’s struggling to find time to pursue her passion. It doesn’t help that, seemingly every time she tries to pull herself out of her slump, counting down before dragging herself out of bed and over to her keyboard, her phone screen lights up. Given practice appears to be a long way from making perfect, the distraction is hard to resist.