— Videogame Heroines ABC Round 2 —
O is for Odoun, the ornithologist from “The Big Story”, an exploration game set in an undefined south american forest.
Odoun is tasked with charting and recording local wildlife, but in the process discovers a digging site for the construction of a luxurious mega-city. Using her audio recording apparatuses and cam-glasses, Odoun must record the events unraveling in the jungle, all the while having to survive on limited and local supplies after her campsite is destroyed. The game is a mix of open world exploration with survival elements (several gauges for hunger, thirst, exhaustion, most notably),
and infiltration section where detection is prohibited, the game lacking any form of combat system.
Under the guise of fantasy, it’s actually a very political game with a strong stance on deforestation. Though the story doesn’t end with a significant victory, the endgame suggests that the player’s imput is critical in making the rest of the story happen, which can be interpreted in several ways - one of which may concern the hinted at sequel, stuck in development limbo for years, leading fans to the wildest speculations as to the reasons why.