Aki's Journey

Prototype game built for a course about Indigenous Literatures. The game was inspired into making this game by the readings and also by a children’s book, “Stolen Words” by Melanie Florence.  The game is meant to be anchored to a story to draw the user in and in turn, learn a new language, in this case, Ojibwe.  It also touches on intergenerational disconnect and how it’s important to remember our roots. 

Controls:

Shoot arrows (clicking on the F key) 
Jump (space bar)
Move (left and right arrow key)
Climb (up and down arrow key)

The Story

Aki is an 8 year old child who loves to play video games and hang out with her friends.  She is not very connected to her Indigenous roots as her parents are not very in touch with it as well.  Aki, however, listens to the stories read to her by her grandmother when she visits their home.  One day Aki is brought to the hospital by her parents and it is found that her grandmother is ill.  Not wanting to deal with any sadness, Aki spends her time in the waiting room focused on playing games on her phone and ignoring everything around her.  Finally her parents call her in, saying that her nookom wanted to see her.  Aki enters the room and sees her grandmother, and although she is ill, she gives the widest and most welcoming smile to Aki.  She motions Aki forward and tells her she wants to read some more stories to her, so that she could learn more about her Indigenous roots.  Aki approaches and sits beside grandmother as she reads; reading some words that Aki understood, and others not at all.  The book grandmother was reading seemed long, and so she fell asleep, and so began her dream journey in the form of a video game.  

The Story within the Game

In Aki’s dream world, she is a video game character tasked with figuring out clues and learning the Ojibwe language by talking to side characters within the game and then answering questions asked at the end of each level so that she may return home.  Aki’s abilities include being able to shoot arrows (clicking on the F key) to defend herself from enemies, jump (space bar), run (left and right arrow key), and climb (up and down arrow key).  She can collect coins which will provide her with the chance to buy hints, and collect hearts to be able to continue playing the game.  Once Aki completes the game, she arrives at her grandmother’s home.  Grandmother is making a feast for her to eat.  In the journey in her dreams, Aki feels the reconnection with her grandmother. 

Awakening from the dream

When Aki awakes in the real world, she is in her room; her parents had brought her home after she had fallen asleep.  She smells bannock, a classic Indigenous bread that instantly makes her think of her grandmother and reminds her of the strange dream she had.  Aki rushes downstairs and finds indeed, her grandmother was home!  But she was not the one making the bread, it was Aki’s mom.  Aki is so happy.  The family is whole again, and generations reconnected.