Penumbra: Overture

PC game / After his mother dies, Philip receives a letter from his dead father that leads him to Greenland. The first in a series of three and originally a demonstration on innovative game design, Penumbra: Overture invites players to navigate Philip through a dark and mysterious mine as he faces angry wolves and many obstacles. Instead of shooting a path through a group of enemies, Penumbra stages each scene so that gamers must use their wits to avoid trouble instead of violent acts. However, as a last resort, players may take out creatures with environmental weapons including a pickaxe. Although avoiding aggressive AI is important, players must also complete the puzzles to advance. With no "point-and-click" movements, gamers will manipulate items on their own. For example, players may open drawers, pick up objects, and pull levers by moving the mouse.