Hello Stranger is a brand-new interactive thriller that puts you in the driver’s seat. Cam, the main character in the movie, is stuck working on different assignments in a controlled apartment in London. His digital assistant, Sasha, runs his life. Interestingly, throughout the movie, you can choose the direction that things go in.
At one point, you have to choose whether you want to play as a solo player or against others. It’s certainly an engaging concept, and the integration of gaming modes into new and existing films could mean that the world of cinema is about to get even more exciting.
About the Full-Motion Video Game
Hello Stranger is both an interactive film and a full-motion game rolled into one. You are essentially tasked with making choices that go on to determine the outcome of the story. Cam is also tasked with playing different games that show on-screen to you as a user.
The fact that you can play in two modes, either Game or Cinema, adds additional depth as well. This new kind of format seeks to blur the lines between what constitutes a “game” versus a “movie”. In game mode, you have to choose the way each of the plotlines pan out, whereas in cinema mode they are played out for you.
As innovative as the game is, however, this form of interactivity is not entirely unprecedented. For example, in the game, players are tasked with playing Higher or Lower, in which people place bets on whether the next card in a pack will be higher or lower than the one before.
These mirror the kinds of mechanics you might have already seen implemented in a live casino game.
The obvious difference with these live games, which might include blackjack, poker, or roulette, is that in responding to a live dealer, the potential for spontaneous events and general unpredictability is inevitably greater than it would be in a game/film hybrid which, though variable, has been programmed a certain way – though they are alike in that you make decisions based on what you think the next outcome is going to be. The twist with Hello Stranger is that the outcome can mean the difference between life and death.
Source: Pexels
A Versatile Twist on Traditional Horror Movies
Elsewhere in the game, Cam is tasked with either playing a racing game or a platforming game, one of three games-within-a-game you will get the chance to play – which also includes Rock, Paper, Scissors. You don’t have to have a particular gaming controller to do this, either, as your TV remote will easily be enough.
Ultimately, by putting the user in charge of making decisions like this, users are allowed to really shape the narrative to suit their tastes, beyond even what most straight video games offer. As if that wasn’t enough, you can also increase the pressure by playing in Timed mode. This means you have to give your answers in a certain amount of time, further intensifying the cinematic piece.
With films/games like this pushing the boundaries for what art can be, while exploring only partially trodden territory for immersive experiences, it could be that we will start seeing more movies like this, especially as tech evolves to support them on a bigger scale.