Following the truth when you’re indirectly involved

CLOSED HANDS is a free simulation video game wherein you explore the events of a terrorist attack through the eyes of five individuals who were only in the periphery of it. Developed by PASSENGER, this is a 2D experimental visual novel that features an interesting combination of text-based gameplay and deep branching storyline progression. Publicly funded by the Arts Council England, it’s free to download but you can also buy a copy to support the developer.

Sorting out the confusion

The story of CLOSED HANDS revolves around five characters: Beth, Mike, Marcus, Haziq, and Farah. A terrorist attack recently hit their city but none of them were directly involved. They still have a connection to the event, however, and following each of their own distinct intertwining story arcs can lead to 9 possible endings after several dialogue or action options along the way. What’s great about this game is its non-linear story progression.

At the start, you’re given a simple storyline web, with each branch belonging to a character. Choosing a node plays a scene for that character—and the way it’s set up allows you to play in any order you want. You can follow one arc or jump in-between any of the perspectives. Sometimes, the scene is set in the past or is part of the present. Another cool thing is that the game is half text and half interactive PC interface.

In terms of storytelling, the narrative is highly engrossing—clocking at over 130,000 words and almost 150 scenes. The characterizations here are top-notch, showcasing a myriad of human personalities that you can’t help but empathize with despite your conflicting beliefs. It helps that during gameplay, you’re accompanied by a dynamic ambient soundtrack that reacts to events. However, it has some UI issues, like the lack of ending hints when replaying the game.

As human as can be

Overall, CLOSED HANDS is an amazing atmospheric interaction fiction work that integrates superb writing into an interesting gameplay experience. While it’s quite narrative-heavy, there are enough explorable PC interface sections to freshen up the reading. It still needs some fixes on the user interface, as the text can be hard to read at times. Plus, when replaying for other endings, it’s hard to figure out which late-game choice switches your path since there are no hints.