Spate explores a man’s loss and fight with alcoholism

BYOB

Games are maturing, and not just in the sense that they feature a lot of sex and violence. Truly mature themes can be explored, like the loss of a loved one and a resulting downward spiral of addiction. Spate takes on those ideas, through its surrealist platforming journey.

It stars a man whose daughter died and wife left, as he struggles with alcoholism. As an absinthe addict, he gains increased speed and jumping ability by taking a swig, at the cost of hallucinations that challenge his sanity. As a metaphor for an addict’s need to continue using, even knowing the cost, it seems pretty apt.

Spate followed what is now becoming a common indie game path to release, having enjoyed a successful Kickstarter campaign and passed through Steam Greenlight. It releases tomorrow, March 27 for PC, Mac, and Linux.