Created by Richard Fox of Flux, The Black Widow gives players an unflinching look into the trial, sentencing, and execution of Louisa Collins – the last woman to hang in the state of New South Wales.
The Black Widow was first demonstrated at IndieCade 2017 – complete with a custom wooden spirit board controller built by Richard Fox.
Hearing Louisa’s own words – faithfully reenacted from original court records and letters – players have the opportunity to make their own assessment of Louisa’s purported killings and generate their own lines of inquiry through an onscreen “spirit board” akin to the famed Ouija board that debuted as a parlor game in 1890 (less than one year after Louisa Collins was executed) and has been featured in a plethora of modern horror films.
More than a game, The Black Widow challenges players to reflect on their own prejudices in reconsidering the verdict of a contentious legal case. Was the accused a callous adulteress, drunkard, and liar – or a victim of sexist expectations and misogyny?
“With The Black Widow, I wanted to explore unlimited choice in character conversation over preset options for more imaginative role-playing, complex storytelling, and character development. As an experienced historical storyteller, I’m always looking for new ways to interact with characters from history. The Black Widow distills insights I’ve learned so far in an instantly recognizable format that dares players to evaluate the facts of the case on their own.”
– Richard Fox (Founder, Flux)
KEY FEATURES
- Communicate with a convicted killer.
- Ask questions using topics via an onscreen spirit board.
- Delve into a complex and dramatic true crime murder mystery.
- Immerse yourself in a faithful, dramatic recreation of a Victorian Era court case.
- Enjoy vivid graphics and an unnerving, atmospheric interface.
The Black Widow is available on Steam and the App Store. The Google Play version will be available shortly.
Steam (Windows & Mac): $5.99
iOS: $1.99
Android: $1.99
