“One of the most essential iOS games of the year. Proves just how interesting and vital gaming as a medium can be. 9/10” —Pocket Gamer
“Grayout is exceptional as a game, as a compelling narrative, as an experiment in communication. It is simple, poignant, and horrifying.” —Gamezebo
Grayout is an aphasiac text game set in a medical dystopia. It’s a prequel to the censorship game Blackbar.
In Grayout, you play Alaine, a rebelious resident of the totalitarian community called The Neighborhood, who wakes up in a hospital research lab following an accident… or so she is told. The game is a series of conversations with hospital staff, made challenging by Alaine’s post-traumatic aphasia—a disorder that affects one’s ability to process language.
Grayout simulates the experience of having a word on the tip of your tongue, the frustration of knowing what you mean but not how to say it, the feeling of being overwhelmed by the runaway thoughts inside your head and struggling to reign them in.
This is a game for fans of text adventures, interactive fiction, word puzzles, story-driven games, and emotional simulations.
“Marvelous.” —The Guardian, The best iPhone and iPad apps of 2015
“Liked Blackbar? This is harder but also cleverer. Lots more feels too. Prepare your brain.” —Sam Barlow of Her Story
We hope your stay in the Neighborhood Hospital is pleasant and brief. Get well.