Welcome to Elk — Demo Impressions (LudoNarraCon 2020)

Jumping into the demo for Welcome to Elk during LudoNarraCon 2020, I was instantly grabbed by the game’s minimalist 2D art. But it was the story and character work in the ten-minute demo that quickly made it one of my most anticipated games of 2020.

In a neat bit of tonal whiplash, the demo starts cute and full of life, then ends on a sombre, potentially scary note.

You play as Frigg, a young woman who has just arrived on Elk Island. You quickly meet Jan, who’s going to teach you carpentry during your stay. He shows you around — it’s mostly cabins and fishing gear (there certainly isn’t Wi-Fi) — and then takes you up to the Hermit Bar. The town is celebrating the death of Mr Nolan, “The Old Brewer,” a local legend.

Inside, everyone is drinking and eating. Frigg introduces herself and — apart from two people who seem oddly annoyed at her presence — everyone’s friendly enough in their own way.

Not one to miss out on the fun, Frigg joins an island drinking game that turns into a dancing mini-game: you simply copy W-A-S-D inputs from another character. It’s as silly as everything so far. There’s even a caged octopus outside holding a knife. The tone felt set: silly fun.

A stranger enters the bar. His name is Leroy and, unsurprisingly, he’s related to those two odd characters. The mood flips from silly to sour, then quickly to unsettling. He rants and swears at everyone before getting in Frigg’s space, putting his hands on her face and implying they should head “somewhere quiet.” Suddenly the tone is frightening. I was worried for Frigg.

Fortunately, nothing happens; he leaves, and Frigg finds her way to her cabin alone in the night. The demo ends with a strange dream — or maybe it isn’t a dream. Who’s to say? Either way, I really want to know what happens next.

Welcome to Elk is slated for 2020. You can wishlist it on Steam.

Check out my gameplay of Welcome to Elk below and let me know what you think in the comments.