History is almost always written by the victors and conquerors and gives their view. Or, at any rate, the victors’ version is given prominence and holds the field. – First Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru.
Nehru’s words don’t reflect a new concept, but over the past few years the topic has entered public debate worldwide thanks to discourse around Black Lives Matter marches, and similar protest activities across the globe – such as the tumbling of statues and defacing of monuments. There is an overlap, of course. Those who enjoy power today, and those who enjoyed it in the past (often the same privileged group) set the narrative and societal norms in their favour, and typically erase any accounts that challenge their version of events.
Now tackling that issue head on – spotlighting and then stripping away historical whitewash – is a tiny little two-hour indie game called Blackhaven, made for PC by newbie studio Historiated Games.
The plot
In the history-themed, first-person narrative mystery, players assume the role of university student Kendra Turner (voiced by Darby Farr). Kendra is a young African American woman interning with the Blackhaven Hall Historical Society in present day Virginia.
Already aware of how the 18th century mansion turned private plantation museum sanitises American history, Kendra is only there to secure a valuable reference from the prestigious society. However, on a day she’s working alone, a string of admin tasks leads Kendra to a disturbing cover-up going back centuries. Will she risk her future to bring the truth to light, and shatter Blackhaven’s carefully crafted official story?
The gameplay
Blackhaven is best described as a walking simulator – although we never use that term as a slur. Kendra explores a museum gallery of artifacts going back to the American Revolution, she tests out audio tour recordings among the ruins of the old colonial estate (which has undergone a fancy glass-and-steel reconstruction), and she spends her afternoon scanning documents in the museum archives and reading room.
At this point it’s worth mentioning the stated goals of the game makers:
Historiated Games is dedicated to designing historically accurate, story driven games that challenge and entertain. Founded in 2015 by a university history professor, the studio’s mission is to bring past stories and spaces to life by transforming exhaustive archival research into richly realized digital experiences.
Blackhaven the place may be fictional but it’s based on extensive research of similar regional plantations from the same period. The game features reproductions of actual artifacts and architecture, while documents closely mirror surviving real-world examples. With the academic pedigree of the developers further informing proceedings, Blackhaven the game feels authentic all round.
Energising the past through the present
Authentic doesn’t mean compelling, of course. Virtual museum tours and trawling through screen after screen of documents, letters and reports may sound horrifically dull as a gameplay experience. Blackhaven is far from dreary and emotionally disengaged, though, thanks to the character of Kendra – who effectively links past and present.
Kendra’s observations inject life into the historical records. She makes them feel relevant, and in turn brings that same relevance into crisp focus. The combination of sharp, contemporary writing and Farr’s natural performance create the effect of sitting in a college lecture next to a likeable smartass who’s giving a running commentary on the class.
Graphically, and in terms of gameplay, Blackhaven may feel a bit simplistic, but you’re willing to overlook any lack of refinement because of how massively entertaining Kendra is. She consistently undercuts, exposes, and challenges the accepted narrative around Blackhaven Hall. She makes jokes about her generation never owning property, expresses her love for the “tea” served by 19th Century love letters, and forces a Bridezilla intent on a plantation wedding to admit what the property’s “cute” little cabins actually were.
Then and now, Blackhaven is anything but what its name suggests, with archives reflecting the former, and a self-aware Kendra living the latter. Our protagonist is almost never surprised by the oppression she uncovers, and its long, ongoing legacy.
Blackhaven is all about accurate representation, so it’s notable that the character of Kendra, and her experiences, have been guided by game writing contributions from actual HBCU (historically black college or university) students and staff in Louisiana.
Play it for free, and brace for a prequel
Backhaven is clearly a labour of love. It also has an important awareness function, showing exactly how recorded history is manipulated to prioritise agendas over accurate representation. That may explain why the game is free to play. Yup, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t devote a few hours to digging through the shady past of Blackhaven Hall.
The historical explorations don’t end with this game either. A prequel, Cassius, is set for release next year, expanding on some of Blackhaven’s unresolved mysteries. Cassius will take the action back to the American Revolution, and the year (1781) of the manor house’s fateful fire. Cassius also promises to be as historically accurate as Blackhaven, but with more of a traditional puzzle adventure mechanic.
While you wait for more mystery solving in centuries past, Blackhaven releases on Steam tomorrow, 27 July. It enjoys full controller support in addition to mouse and keyboard.
| Blackhaven review | |
Blackhaven will have obvious appeal for history buffs, but the game does an excellent job of marrying historical records with modern sensibilities courtesy of its likeable protagonist, and her on-point observations. Blackhaven is not the most technically impressive game, but it is emotionally powerful and insightful, serving as a model for how games can bring the work of historians to new, receptive audiences. |
7.5 |
| Blackhaven was reviewed on PC | |