Zoe Fortier
Zoe FortierWarning: This article contains discussions of death, suicide, funerals, and transphobia.
I recently played through A Mortician’s Tale, by Laundry Bear Games, purchased through the Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality on itch.io. Though the bundle is now closed, the game is still available through the itch.io platform and I very much recommend it.
A Mortician’s Tale is quite short, providing about an hour of gameplay. You play as Charlie, recent funeral direction graduate, as she learns her way around the ins and outs of her business and industry. The story is largely communicated through Charlie’s email inbox, containing interactions with her colleagues, superiors, clients, and family. The rest of the game consists largely of preparing bodies for their funerals in various ways.
I found the game surprisingly peaceful, given its subject matter. It’s a clear testament to the fact that A Mortician’s Tale accomplishes precisely what it set out to do. The game is quiet, slow-paced, and even meditative, with simple, intuitive point-and-click or click-and-drag controls. The graphics too are simple and attractive, and the soundtrack is pretty yet unobtrusive. All adding to the surprising peacefulness and positivity of the experience.
Many video games center around violence and causing death and I am no stranger to these. So, it was a pleasant change of pace to play through something that was about caring for the dead and their families instead. I also learned a lot along the way about the “death industry.” A Mortician’s Tale provides information about the legal, religious, cultural, and business considerations funeral directors have to take into account. It also the practical aspects of how bodies are prepared for burial, embalming, and/or cremation.
In the process, A Mortician’s Tale doesn’t shy from discussing the uglier parts of some practices in the funeral direction industry. For instance, it is unflinching in its commentary about and condemnation of transphobia in the death industry, which perhaps shouldn’t have been surprising but was and pleasantly so.
It is also easily inclusive of a variety of body types without making a big deal out of it or patting itself on the back. Additionally, the game seamlessly weaves in a queer feminine presence, an older woman, happy and alive, loved and accepted, with a girlfriend. I found this heartening as I am used to us being something of an afterthought in video games if we appear at all.
A Mortician’s Tale also didn’t shy from commenting on how capitalism can and does undermine the ethos that ought to be at the core of caregiving and how funeral homes are no exception. I was impressed by the competence with which A Mortician’s Tale balanced educating players about the ins and outs of funeral direction, with being prepared to critique the industry at large.
While there are no trigger warnings in the game’s description or in the game itself, dark content is somewhat to be expected given the game’s subject matter. As such, this isn’t really a criticism and the darker content that appears is treated sensitively and with care. However, should you choose to play through A Mortician’s Tale yourself, it is worth being prepared for mentions and discussions of cancer, suicide, and transphobia.
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🔥298A Mortician's Tale
$9.99
Pros
- Surprisingly Relaxing and Positive
- Pretty Soundtrack and Graphics
- Inclusive and Diverse
- Informative and Thought-Provoking
Cons
- Slow Pace Might Not be for Everyone
