Interstate 35
A visual novel exploring a near-apocalyptic vision of North Texas, told through the poetic words of a young woman going home.
INTERSTATE 35 is an evocative narrative game from Radiant Array which follows a young woman returning to her hometown in Texas after a nuclear disaster. Through lush, poetic writing, we follow her literal journey through the post-apocalypse on a scavenging mission, and retrace her figurative journey to see how she got here and where she might head next.
Game Outline
Players click through text to both advance the current plot, and discover memories that they are able to salvage in their inventory as keepsakes. Each keepsake reveals a bit more about the main character and, and/or the post-apocalyptic world she now finds herself in. Which you decide to salvage, and which you discard is up to you.
Key Features
Lush, poetic writing.
Interesting characters
Stunning, post-rock influenced soundtrack by Josie Brechner
Vivid, surreal illustrations of a Hopper-esque near-apocalypse by Porcelain Bones (Persephone Kavallines)
Moody, textured background art and UI design by Ariyeh Korva.
Keepsake System: Sift through memories of the past and decide for yourself what's worth keeping.
A melancholy, magical vision of an apocalyptic Texas, broken by nuclear disaster
Keyboard and Mouse + Controller Support
Explore the past. Go home. Come back breathing.
Words from the Developer
"A near-apocalyptic road trip story, INTERSTATE 35 is a game about coming home when home is all wrong. I wanted to explore an apocalyptic disaster in a way that felt honest to the way real disasters happen. They're strange, isolated, and way too easily forgotten. My hope is that INTERSTATE 35 will make for a good piece of interactive archaeology-- a means of finding the future by sifting through the ruins of the past.
Inspired by titles like Kentucky Route Zero and We Know the Devil, I'm calling INTERSTATE 35 an experimental visual novel. But just as much as that, it's a work of interactive poetry, with a bit of memoir thrown in for good measure. It's very special to me, and I hope you find something to hold onto in INTERSTATE 35's slow apocalypse."
– Julie Muncy, Creative Director @ Radiant Array