Twine

Greimas Square 

The core opposition in this narrative is between Truth and Constructed Glory.

Truth : The reality of war as chaotic, violent, and morally ambiguous

Constructed Glory : The idealised narrative of war, presenting it as heroic and honourable

Based on this opposition, I extended the Greimas Square:

• Non-Truth: Confusion and fragmented memory, where the player cannot clearly determine what happened
• Non-Glory: Distorted reality, where parts of the truth emerge but are still rationalised or concealed

Narrative Structure and Twine Design

I adopted a branching narrative structure 

1. Initial Perception: The player believes they are a heroic soldier
2. Disruption: Contradictions and unease begin to emerge
3. Revelation: The player confronts the reality of their actions

The key branching points are not based on physical actions, but on psychological decisions. For instance, the player can choose to accept, deny, or question their memories, reinforcing the idea that uncovering truth is an internal process.

 Player Experience Design

I intentionally kept the early part of the game relatively linear to ensure that all players experience the same initial illusion of heroism.

As the narrative progresses, choices become more meaningful and morally charged. The player is gradually guided into discomfort through:

• Shifts in tone : from heroic to unsettling and oppressive
• Contradictory imagery : the contrast between battlefield and village
• Questioning dialogue : challenging the player’s initial assumptions 

This design creates a controlled emotional arc that ultimately leads to a critical moment of decision.

The Twist and Its Function

The central twist of the game is that the player is not a heroic soldier, but one of the perpetrators of violence against civilians.

This twist reframes all previous events, prompting the player to reinterpret earlier scenes.

Importantly, the twist is not sudden, but carefully foreshadowed through subtle details:

• The “enemy” appears unarmed
• Dialogue raises questions about the purpose of the conflict
• Memories are unstable and fragmented

Connection to the Theme “Un(cover)”

This work expresses the theme through the process of uncovering suppressed memory.

At the beginning of the game, the player’s understanding of events is “covered” by a narrative of glory and justification. As the player progresses, this surface layer is gradually removed, revealing uncomfortable truths beneath.

Different endings represent different responses to uncovering:

• Truth Ending: Full acceptance of reality
• Cover Ending: Denial and rationalisation
• Glory Ending: Complete rejection of the truth