By Kelsey Cameron 
First published August 31 2017, Edited 2023
Virginia is a first-person psychological thriller game developed by Variable State released in 2016. The game follows the life of Anne Tarver, a recently graduated FBI agent. The aim is to investigate the disappearance of a young boy while also investigating Tarver's partner, Maria Halperin. The game unfolds out of chronological order as Tarver struggles with betraying her partner with visions of what her future will be like if she chooses to do so. Strong themes about friendship and the morality are reinforced throughout.
Virginia’s gameplay largely involves the player as an observer. I do question this subtle connection since I did crave more agency – not necessarily over the story but over the character. I wanted more of a direct presence in the space and although I related to the characters as people, I felt the lack of agency interfered with the immediacy between the player and system.

In one sequence the player is given the perspective to only observe the parent's of the missing boy's reactions and search for specific items in the house that are important to the investigation and story. This rigid positioning of the player creates a very specific character which is strong and well developed. Although the player was able to simulate Tarver's experiences in its first-person view, this perspective comes at the expense of agency and acknowledging that the player does have a role in constructing their own story and meaning along the way. I don't think giving the player more content would have distracted from the central story, but enhanced it for the player's that did wish to explore on their own. There is an argument that game time is what makes videogame story-telling so difficult, but I believe that the time spent within that virtual space is what sets games apart from other media and we need to use that time to our advantage.
I was able to approach Virginia only really aware of the art style and that it was some sort of investigative game. I didn’t know the game had no audio which was an unpleasant surprise that quickly transformed into a beautiful design choice due to the plots non-linearity. Initially making sense of the plot was difficult because I was manipulated into believing that the game was about something it wasn’t. This turned out to be a great metaphor for life and the central character’s career ambitions.

Naturally, I tried to rationalise and analyse every detail immediately as the game started. I wanted to know more about the cases they were investigating and without any dialogue, felt that this couldn’t be achieved. As the game progressed I became aware that the real story was about the relationships formed with other characters and that building a successful career didn’t really mean anything if she had lost herself and friends along the way. It’s story was beautiful and in the end, I enjoyed being tricked because it richened the games message. We often move onto the next step in a journey attempting to make sense of it along the way. But only hindsight gifts us the lessons we need to learn. Virginia opens up a sort of “hindsight-scope” by jumping from the past, present, and future; but also by mixing realities so that we can see what really matters – what kind of person have you become? What kind of person will you become? Or what kind of person can you become? All of these questions seem to co-exist in the game so that every moment shapes how the character and player transform together. It is a confusing journey, but it is ultimately answered in the end by the player’s own interpretations.

All in all, I appreciated the incorporation of different genders and ethnicities, especially within the FBI. I loved the way that reality blended with fantasy in a psychological exploration of the self. And I enjoyed the art style and how it created connections in a more instinctual and abstract way like a painting does. Although there were areas that could be improved, it was a great experience and was well worth my time.
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