An interactive fiction experience that puts you in the shoes of a shopkeeper in Irpin, Ukraine, during the Russian invasion in February 2022. This project was created as part of the Interactive Fiction class given by Isaac Pante (SLI, UNIL).
You play as a shopkeeper in the city of Irpin during the Kyïv offensive (February 24, 2022 - April 6, 2022). The game explores daily life as it gradually transforms under the shadow of war, challenging players with moral choices and the ultimate decision: should you stay or should you go?
The game aims to foster empathy for Ukrainian civilians and refugees whose lives were suddenly endangered by an unimaginable war. It focuses on:
- Personal choices with consequences, but no control over external events
- The banality of war as it intrudes into everyday life
- Immersion as a means of building empathy with civilians in wartime
- Leaving the war to become a refugee, or staying and fighting or helping others?
The story unfolds over five critical days during the invasion:
- Introduction to daily life and key characters
- First hints of coming conflict
- Establishing relationships with regular customers
- Initial choices about stocking up and helping others
- First sirens and explosions
- Community reactions to the invasion
- Combat getting closer
- Evacuation begins
- Resistance organizing
- Direct confrontation with Russian soldiers
- Critical choices about resistance and survival
- Dealing with losses
- Final decisions about staying or leaving
- Coming to terms with the new reality of ongoing war
The story features a diverse cast of recurring characters, each representing different perspectives on the conflict:
- Nina Melkova: An elderly woman who refuses to leave her home despite having family in Russia
- Vlad Jesovitch: Your old friend with pro-Russian sympathies
- Alexandra Bodovora: A patriotic mother whose son joins the resistance
- Gabi Luna: A young Russian-born single mother caught between two worlds
- The Kovalenko Family: Farmers struggling with the decision to leave their land
- Alexander Ben Hassim: A young activist organizing resistance
- And others, each with their own story arc and development through the crisis
While primarily narrative-driven, the game includes management elements:
- Managing shop inventory (basic)
- Setting prices (basic)
- Making moral choices about helping others versus ensuring your own survival
The game explores several complex themes:
- The impact of war on civilian life
- The difficulty of choosing between safety and home
- Family ties across conflict lines
- The rise of ethnic tensions
- The banality of evil in wartime
- The complexity of survival under occupation
Built using Twine with the Harlowe 3.3.9 story format.
- Open the
story.htmlfile in a web browser - Follow the text prompts and make choices by clicking on the links
The game is based on real events from the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, specifically the Battle of Kyïv and the occupation of Irpin. The narrative incorporates actual historical events, while presenting them through the lens of civilian experience.
This game contains references to war, violence, death, and other potentially distressing themes related to the real-world conflict in Ukraine.
Project Status: Complete