APP STORE AWARDS

Cultural Impact winner: The Wreck

The Wreck

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This cinematic interactive story offers an unflinching look at how our minds work when dealing with a crisis.

– App Store Editors

Junon Demange is having a rough day. The aspiring screenwriter has just learned that her mother, a famous artist, has suffered a debilitating stroke, placing Junon in charge of the life-or-death decisions regarding her care.

Raw, emotional and wryly funny, The Wreck unfolds as an interactive visual novel that packs a surprising emotional punch. Sweeping camera movements reveal what’s happening around Junon and the thoughts racing through her head. We see this inner dialogue as handwritten subtitles splashed across the screen.

Relive Junon’s memories to witness key moments from her life – and uncover the details that complicate her present circumstances.

At times this text is interactive: tap certain words (such as “Alex” when Junon is thinking about her estranged husband, or “love” when she is thinking about her sister) to dive into introspective rabbit holes that shed light on her feelings. Sometimes one thought dominates, filling the entire scene in giant, billowy letters that linger until you tap them to confront what’s on Junon’s mind.

In the game’s most memorable moments – such as when a family dinner ends in flames – you play detective, rewinding Junon’s memories for answers (and more interactive elements to tap on). It’s an apt metaphor for how distance and reflection can help us make sense of the past.

Voice actor Sharlit Deyzac portrays Junon with exceptional sensitivity and humanity, making her at once pithy, acerbic and surprisingly vulnerable. The Wreck reminds us that we’re much more than the sum of our emotional injuries – and that no matter the challenge, the right perspective can give us the strength to move forward.

Quick tip

When Junon and her sister, Diane, are catching up in the cafeteria, you’re presented with the word “hamster” as a dialogue option. Tap it to hear a strange story about them racing hamsters back in the day – and earn the hidden Dr. Dolittle Game Center achievement.

Fun fact

The car accident that opens the game was inspired by the real-life experience of developer Florent Maurin. (The vehicle was totalled, but Maurin and his daughter were unharmed.) “If a character had only a few seconds left to try and fix their life,” he says, “what would their last resort memories be?”

Meet the creator

Founded by Florent Maurin in 2009, indie developer The Pixel Hunt specialises in interactive stories. The Paris-based studio is best known for the text-messaging adventure Bury me, my Love as well as the App Store Award–winning historical adventure Inua.