Demo heralds the coming of Voices of Freedom

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

SCUMM-styled adventure explores five intertwining stories about inequalities faced by women in Iran

The fight for gender equality has come a long way in the West (though still with some way left to go), so it's hard for many of us to even imagine the lack of freedom and rights for women in other parts of the world. Indie developer Jellyworld aims to shine a light on five such life-or-death cases in the upcoming adventure Voices of Freedom.

Based on the "Women, Life, Freedom" protest movement that sprang up in the wake of Mahsa Amini's death in 2022 following her arrest by Iran's morality police, Voices of Freedom promises to be "inspired by real events" and "based on documented facts from news, books, and films." The action is framed by a writer named Roxana, who recounts these different stories of oppression in Tehran. The first mirrors Mahsa Amini's own, as a young woman named Neda finds herself "arrested for not wearing her hijab 'correctly.'" As you progress through her travails, you will come to "discover how her fight intersects with that of other women." Each of the subsequent depictions could certainly stand on their own, but here they intertwine in an over-arching tale meant to "connect the player with real stories of struggle and resistance."

The challenging subject matter stands in stark contrast to a conventional gameplay experience that's meant to be entertaining in its own right. Presented through lovely pixel art with a classic retro SCUMM-style point-and-click interface, the narrative promises to be "filled with moments of tension, but also humor and drama" at times. There will be plenty of items to collect, puzzles to solve and obstacles to overcome, but as you make your way through the five portrayals of "the lives of women who fought for their freedom in oppressive contexts," you'll also be called upon to make difficult decisions on their behalf. There are no easy answers and the highest of stakes, as "your choices will determine whether the women survive or perish in their struggle."

There is no target release date for Voices of Freedom just yet, but a playable demo is available now on Steam, offering an early first-hand look at the troubles Neda encounters. When the full game is complete, a portion of the proceeds will be "donated to organizations dedicated to empowering [women in Iran] and advocating for their rights."