Éric Chahi

Another World is a cinematic platformer game: the main character jumps and runs from platform to platform to avoid obstacles and keep moving forward. The player controls the central character, Lester (a human physicist displaced to an alien planet by an experiment gone awry), who can move forward, jump, or fight using his weapon, a laser pistol that has three functions: shooting, generating force fields, and penetrating walls. The game ends if either Lester or his alien friend is shot. Nothing external to the world is displayed on the screen (such as score or energy gauge), reinforcing the engagement of the player with the unfolding action. The characters communicate nonverbally, via gestures and actions, a rare feat in video games. With its groundbreaking use of advanced effects in sound and editing as well as graphics, the game has been acclaimed for its unique atmosphere and minimalist aesthetic. Chahi developed Another World independently, thus maintaining almost total creative control of the game, from its story to its box cover, and devoting painstaking attention to details.