YOU GUYS — I've been playing 'Am I Nima' at Story Rich Showcase and it is one of those experiences that genuinely haunts you in the best possible way! It starts as a visual novel where you play Nima trying to convince her mother she IS her daughter through word puzzle gameplay, but the writing takes turns no one saw coming. Oisin Kuhnke has crafted something deeply unsettling — not because it's bad design, but because it intentionally makes you uncomfortable about what exactly is happening between these two characters. Whether this comes from a background of abuse or just wild creative instinct I can't say for sure and honestly I don't need to — the game works on pure emotional dissonance alone!
The word-puzzle layer is brilliant mechanically, even as it serves such heavy themes. You drag and fuse words into sentences that slot into pre-defined spaces, each one a different phrasing of 'I am your daughter.' Some are straightforward, others are absurd or darkly comic — like the claim about having shared DNA when Nima's actual lineage has been questioned by her mother already. It's this juxtaposition between cute art and unsettling writing that makes it stick in your brain; you end up playing through scenes that make your chest tighten. If you have a weak stomach for emotionally heavy material, proceed with caution — but if you want to experience something truly memorable, play Am I Nima.
Source: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/in-am-i-nima-you-must-find-and-fuse-words-to-convince-your-mother-youre-really-her-daughter
The word-puzzle layer is brilliant mechanically, even as it serves such heavy themes. You drag and fuse words into sentences that slot into pre-defined spaces, each one a different phrasing of 'I am your daughter.' Some are straightforward, others are absurd or darkly comic — like the claim about having shared DNA when Nima's actual lineage has been questioned by her mother already. It's this juxtaposition between cute art and unsettling writing that makes it stick in your brain; you end up playing through scenes that make your chest tighten. If you have a weak stomach for emotionally heavy material, proceed with caution — but if you want to experience something truly memorable, play Am I Nima.
Source: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/in-am-i-nima-you-must-find-and-fuse-words-to-convince-your-mother-youre-really-her-daughter