Free meme-filled adventure game
The Asylum Incident is a free-to-play adventure experience from indie developer dexyfactor. In a wild mishmash of Internet culture references, you follow Mr. Fors as he tries to exact revenge following a horrific incident in his asylum. Go through a number of Forsen-themed levels as you try to complete a loose storyline.
With a wide range of animation and art styles, an immersive and sometimes disconcerting soundtrack, and a quick playthrough time, The Asylum Incident is a treasure trove of memes disguised as a game. It’s a parody not too different from Five Nights at Nikocado’s 2: Cheese Breach.
Playing toxic cyberculture for laughs
The Asylum Incident feels like a tribute to Swedish streamer Hans Eli Sebastian Fors, better known by his username Forsen. Apart from his career as a streamer and esports player, he became known because of the Forsen Boys. This is an online community that is known for popularizing memes, but also for a range of toxic online behavior—spamming, stream sniping, and even harassment. These are the contents of the game.
Playing as Sebastian Fors himself, you go through a number of different LIDL levels—a phrase coined by Forsen himself for low-production games—that are ripped off from other games. There’s a Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout minigame full of stream snipers, and a rhythm-like game but you dodge falling ForsenE Twitch emotes. It also uses a variety of pop culture music, most of them used together with popular memes and viral clips.
Basically, there are references on top of references in this game, which works well to hide the fact that it doesn’t have a lot of content to offer. It’s something you can finish within an hour or so, provided you can navigate safely through some of its frustratingly difficult levels, starting with the Fall Guys ripoff. Also, some references require a deeper understanding of internet culture in order to appreciate.
A worthy tribute to the Forsen culture
Forsen may have already distanced himself from the toxic subcommunity he helped create, but The Asylum Incident makes sure that the Swedish streamer’s contribution to modern cyberculture—whether good or bad—will never be forgotten. If you’re good enough, then the game is fairly short. Otherwise, spend hours trying to finish annoyingly difficult games and solving puzzles built on obscure references. For fans of meme culture, this is a must-try.
