Playing Kafka

Playing Kafka is an adventure game that explores the themes of alienation in modern society and unresolved family issues. It is based on the works of the famous absurdist writer, Franz Kafka, and was created with the help of leading Kafka experts. The game puts players in the shoes of a character who is arrested for no apparent reason and must navigate through a series of challenges and puzzles to uncover the truth and escape their father's oppressive presence.

The game is divided into three chapters, each based on one of Kafka's works: The Trial, The Castle, and Letter to His Father. Each chapter offers a unique and immersive experience, with fully voiced branching stories, atmospheric puzzles, and fateful decisions. The gameplay involves drag and drop mechanics, making the characters and environments come alive.

In The Trial, players must navigate through an opaque legal trial and try to prove their innocence while being entangled in a web of perplexing bureaucracy. They must choose who to ask for help and how to communicate with judges and procurators as the judgment slowly closes in on them. In Letter to His Father, players explore Kafka's tense relationship with his father and try to find the right words to come to terms with his upbringing. The chapter also includes scenes from the past, where players can see Franz struggling to connect with his father. In The Castle, players take on the role of a land surveyor in a snow-laden village, where nothing is as it seems. They must uncover the secrets of the village and the elusive Castle while facing challenges and obstacles along the way.

The game was developed to commemorate the centenary of Kafka's death and was created in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut, Prague. The Chinese language version was initiated and supported by the Czech Centre Taipei. With approximately 1.5 hours of gameplay and an ever-changing setting, Playing Kafka offers a unique and thought-provoking experience for players. Will you be able to win an unfair trial, escape your father's presence, and unravel the mysteries of the Castle? Play now and find out.