ESHRAQ is at IDFA DocLab in Amsterdam, from 13 to 22 November, as part of the free DocLab Exhibition at De Brakke Grond.
It is a simulation inspired by Suhrawardi’s 12th-century philosophy of Illumination. You don’t play a character. You enter as a Soul, take possession of different bodies, and move through worlds shaped by spells of light, among them an Amsterdam canal and the Ziggurat of Ur. Less a game you finish than a place you return to, a cognitive playground.
Two ways in
Play ESHRAQ yourself, or watch the artist walkthrough: two hours, looped, in which I move through its worlds and talk about how they came to be.
Trailers
Gameplay trailer
Story trailer
Visiting
- Where: De Brakke Grond, Nes 45, Amsterdam
- When: Fri 13 to Sat 21 November, 11:30–20:30 · Sun 22 November, 11:30–18:00
- Entry: Free, with an online reservation for the day you visit
- Reserve: ESHRAQ on the IDFA site (pick your day) or idfa.nl/expo
- Also: Guided tour · DocLab Playrooms on Mon 16 November, 15:00–17:00
ESHRAQ is produced by K.O. Productions, with sound and music by Shahin Entezami, and supported by Creative Industries Fund NL, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, and CIIIC.
One more thing: ESHRAQ is coming to Steam in Early Access. The Steam page isn’t public yet, so there is nothing to wishlist today. Leave your email and you’ll hear when it is, along with new devlogs and posts from this blog: