We are incredibly excited and pleased to be able to welcome the games of Annapurna Interactive to our Green Man Gaming store. Publishers of some of the finest and most unique gaming experiences around, Annapurna have pushed the boundaries of gaming into new, strange, and wonderful places.
So join with us as we take a look at who Annapurna Interactive are and have a quick run through some of their greatest hits.
Who are Annapurna Interactive?
Even if you’re not aware of Annapurna as a name, you will most likely have come across their work. As Annapurna Pictures they have produced films like Zero Dark Thirty, Her, American Hustle, Sausage Party, Terminator: Genisys, and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. They’ve helped create films, TV, even theatre productions.
But we’re here to talk about games. In 2016 Annapurna set up Annapurna Interactive, their gaming division, under the leadership of veterans from Sony and Warner Bros. Their mission was to publish games that are “personal, emotional, and original” and as you’ll see – they absolutely delivered.
Since then they have published over 30 games, with many receiving plaudits from critics and audiences alike. Let’s take a look at some of their games and why you should be grabbing them immediately.
Shop Annapurna Interactive Games
Journey
Probably the most famous game published by Annapurna, Journey is an adventure across a desert landscape that will crack even the most jaded heart. On your way to a distant mountain you’ll see beautiful vistas, escape terrifying monsters, make friends that will aid you on your travels, and have the adventure of a lifetime.
Journey received almost every award under the sun and after playing it once, you’ll see just why. Combine all of the above with a Grammy-nominated score and some of the most uplifting – and heartbreaking – moments in gaming, you’ll never ever forget your time on the sands of Journey.
Florence
Florence and Krish fall in love and in many narratives that would be the end point. In Florence it’s only the beginning, as you navigate her experiences through this short, beautiful narrative experience.
Often in games the narrative and the gameplay work separately, but in Florence they fit together perfectly like jigsaw pieces. You’ll see Florence and Krish’s journey together flourish, falter, and even possibly fall apart in a deeply meaningful and incredibly impactful game.
Telling Lies
Sam Barlow brought us Her Story, a unique experience where we pieced together a mystery by viewing video clips from a police interview. There was no grand conclusion from the game itself, you simply stopped playing when you felt like you had cracked what was going on.
In Telling Lies, Sam Barlow takes the idea a step further. You’re in front of a laptop, filled with footage stolen from an NSA database. That footage covers two years in the lives of a group of people, all brought together through a particular event. Search for footage, watch clips, and put together the truth, Telling Lies is like almost nothing out there, and it’s filled with surprises – sometimes shocking surprises.
Gorogoa
This BAFTA winning puzzle game sees you explore tiny vignettes suspended in illustrated panels, arranging them in different combinations to solve problems. It’s imaginative, easy to pick up, but with a surprising amount of depth.
Gorogoa won many awards and for good reason, it’s a game that combines a wonderful narrative filled with beauty with puzzles that will test your brain all at the same time. It’s a piece of art that transcends that with game elements that make it more than the sum of its parts.
Maquette
What if an item’s size were determined solely by your perspective? What if your size changed depending on how large or small things are around you? Maquette takes those premises and places you right amongst a mind-bending puzzle adventure game that will make you ask ‘how did they do that?’ many times before you finish it.
If that wasn’t enough, Maquette also features a love story that will pull at your heart-strings as you work towards a satisfying and moving conclusion.
Outer Wilds
In Outer Wilds you play as the newest recruit of Outer Wilds Ventures, departing for a distant solar system to discover the hidden mysteries lurking there.
…and that’s all we can say about it. If we say any more, we’ll spoil a once-in-a-lifetime experience and you will not thank us. Just know that Outer Wilds won Game of the Year 2019 from Giant Bomb, The Guaridan, Eurogamer, and Polygon as well as Best Game at the 2020 BAFTAs. So pick it up, don’t read any spoilers, and dive in.
Donut County
The world is an untidy place isn’t it? Well in Donut County you can fix that. As BK the raccoon, owner of a hole, you can fix all that mess. Just drop it in the hole, there won’t be any problems later…
Unless you fall into one of your own holes and find all the people you dropped down there. Well, we’d better hope that doesn’t happen. Donut County is full of life and laughter and of course, dropping things in holes. What’s better than that?
What Remains of Edith Finch
Sometimes to understand the larger story you need to understand the smaller ones that are part of it. In What Remains of Edith Finch you play as the titular Edith, returning to her family home, looking into why she’s the last one alive.
You’ll experience many narratives told from different perspectives, each one combining a unique approach to storytelling as well as brilliant intertwined gameplay features. Experience life, death, and everything in-between in this stunningly crafted first person experience from the creators behind The Unfinished Swan
Buy What Remains of Edith Finch here
Check out our Showcase Event
Our Showcase Event is here to shout about all the new games and publishers that have joined our store – head over now to see the rest of the Annapurna collection that we have for sale, as well as games from many other publishers who have signed up with Green Man Gaming.
