Some games are hailed as classics immediately, but some games are pretentious and try to hold meaning in the endless sea of games. How We Know We’re Alive by Motvind Studios is such a game.
How We Know We’re Alive is an indie, pixel-art sidescroller visual novel. It claims it’s an hour long, but it feels closer to fifteen minutes. This review is full of spoilers.
To The Grave!
We follow Sara returning to her hometown, Härunga, Sweden. Her best friend, Maria, died last year and Sara hasn’t paid her respects. Sara assumes that the town, with its conservative Christian views, killed Maria. Maria and Sara were going to go to Stockholm and make it big as writers! Instead, Maria stayed in Härunga, married, and gave birth to a son. Maria never gave up writing but was never famous.
On the other hand, Sara is a writer for an advertising firm and enjoys living in the city—at least, the player can choose that dialogue. They can also choose that Sara isn’t a writer or doesn’t like the city. It might change certain dialogues later, but I did not test this.
Sara attempts to become a detective to find the real cause of Maria’s death. She finds vodka and dark poetry—Sara thinks Maria became suicidal after being trapped in Härunga. Maria drove down a dark, winding road and killed herself.
The Truth, Revealed?
Lina, Maria’s sister, says otherwise. Maria was about to publish her first book. She gathered everyone dear to her to celebrate and was going to drive on the dark, curvy road to get Sara from Stockholm.
Lina’s story is more accurate as Maria confided in her sister. Sara and Maria had grown apart from the former’s infrequent texts. Sara goes to Maria’s grave once more, asking for forgiveness and realizing her selfishness. She sits on the rusted car the two girls used to sit on, and the credits roll.
Sara is unlikeable as a character; I felt no sympathy toward her. In fact, when she apologized to Maria’s grave, I didn’t believe her. Maybe it’s because of the pixel animation, which I’ve never liked in any media. It leaves out too many details for microexpressions. How am I to know if she’s sincere? Do I take her words at face value? Hasn’t she hidden things from others in town, making me sure she would not be sincere at Maria’s grave?
Questions and Disappointments
The sounds in this game are minimal, but the only enjoyable part. The rain sounds mixed with the barebones music were pleasant but not deserving of a soundtrack on repeat.
If this game is a love letter to friendships that die out from a lack of care and communication, why is it called How We Know We’re Alive? Is it trying to tell me that we make irrevocable mistakes, choices, and beliefs and that those choices and beliefs will ruin all those around us, so take care? Is it assuming we know we’re alive because the dead haunt us? Are we alive because we’re unreliable narrators and unlikeable?
I wish I could have liked Sara, Maria or any of the other characters. I wish I could feel bad that someone tragically died. Instead, Sara seems insensitive and defensive in a town that does not welcome or want her. She is as hostile as they are. Maria is a mystery that does not get solved, and all of the other characters are as one-dimensional as the lack of definition from pixel art.
My Hate Letter
Sara might be gay and trying to escape conservative Christian views, but she’s neurotypical since she cannot say anything directly.
Being neurotypical is a disease. Say what you mean and say it sooner rather than later.
How We Know We’re Alive is available on itch.io and Steam for free and iOS and Android for $2.99.
