My dad spent a not-inconsiderable variety of hours waging conflict in opposition to the native squirrel inhabitants over management of his chicken feeders. He fought bravely, and resolutely, and finally he misplaced: After an incident involving an indignant squirrel who bought unfastened at the back of his truck, he determined the entire thing wasn’t well worth the problem. Detente was achieved: The squirrels have been permitted to go about their enterprise kind of unmolested, and one way or the other life went on just about because it at all times had.
All of this got here to thoughts as we speak with the announcement that Nuts, the “journey in squirrel surveillance” that was revealed on the 2020 Guerrilla Collective showcase, can be out on Steam and Itch.io on February 4.
As a rookie area researcher working deep within the Melmoth Forest, you will spend your days inserting cameras and your nights learning footage as you monitor the actions and behaviors of the realm’s squirrels: Their motion patterns, their hiding locations, and no matter else it’s that squirrels rise up to after they assume there is no one watching. The builders promise an “an intimate, immersive story with full voice appearing,” that includes “daring visuals and foley sound results that envelop you in a vibrant forest.”
All of it appears and sound fairly tranquil, paying homage to Firewatch in some methods, and but I am fairly certain there’s extra going right here than meets the attention. For one factor, there’s an virtually throwaway remark within the announcement suggesting that the squirrels are behaving “unusually.” The launch date trailer launched as we speak goes to some sudden locations, too: Why would a squirrel stash dynamite and matches?
That is a good query.
I don’t know the place that is all headed, however that form of bait-and-switch was on the coronary heart of Firewatch too, and even when it did not fairly repay in the long run it made for an exhilarating summertime journey. I do not count on Nuts to have have the emotional depth or heft of Firewatch (TNT-equipped squirrels, actually?) nevertheless it’s actually captured my curiosity. I need to know what these little rodents are getting as much as.
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