About the development

Perennial is a narrative/art game that explores a selection of the many different responses to a life-changing event. Through the lens of seeds that are getting ready to grow into flowers, Perennial features a reluctant cast of characters, each with a unique outlook on the inevitably approaching sunrise. Perennial strives to create a non-linear experience through the abolition of a defined beginning and ending within its story; because the game's events loop, the game starts and ends whenever the player chooses to engage with it. In this way, the freedom to experience the game how the player wishes is granted by taking away their ability to control a progression of inevitable events. Because the order and selection of possible rooms to explore are different each in-game day, the narrative provided by Perennial is truly personalized for each player.

The main inspiration for this project was the attempt to convey the period of anxious wait within a transition period; there are many different perspectives on the upcoming challenge, it never plays out quite the same way each time, and at times it feels that one is trapped in uncertainty until "sunrise" finally comes. Where many games focus on a climactic moment, Perennial calls attention to the quiet, more introspective moments before climax. The effect of Perennial is best achieved as a display in a public location, where passerbys can begin their journey underground at the very moment they stumble upon it.