Mackerelmedia Fish is a deep dive into the fractured structures of a site long-forgotten, seeking a lost fish that is hiding somewhere within this internet space.
As a digital archaeologist, you’re out to find a very special fish that is lurking somewhere within an old website. Its owners have left it to languish for some time, so don’t expect any help from them in this monumentally important task. This means you’re going to be rifling through links and checking directories, seeing what clues you can find inside.
It’s a silly premise, but like all of Nathalie Lawhead’s work, there is a deeper meaning and thoughtful things to consider within. Websites may be these odd things we make to sell scarves or tell people about what we ate for breakfast a lot of the time, but they are extensions of their creators. They tell our stories and reflect upon what we feel is important, in many ways. They hint at the needs and wants of a society in their shape, and whisper about how we’ve been exploited or broken by systems and people. They tell more about us than we might expect, and this work explores this concept. All while you meet friends and seek a lovely fish.
Mackerelmedia Fish also has some things to say about our connection with media and technology, asking us to treasure and explore rather than consume and move on. It’s an experience that gets richer if you spend time with it, seeking its hidden corners and stories, rather than something we play through once and move onto. This feeling of love and connection with a piece of media enriches much of Lawhead’s work (including our Game of the Year for 2019, RUNONCE), and it’s lovely to continue to explore this compassionate look at tech and our ties to it.
Mackerelmedia Fish is playable now through itch.io.
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