Ishmael

About

Ishmael is a single player casual role playing game. It was developed by Jordan Magnuson and was released on December 10, 2018. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Ishmael is a short multimedia-enhanced hypertext game about perpetual cycles of displacement and violence as seen through the lens of a child. Takes about 15 minutes to read/play through.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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62%

Audience ScoreBased on 60 reviews

story5 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

Ishmael offers a powerful and emotional narrative that provides insight into the life of a child affected by the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The game includes interactive elements and mini-games that add charm and engagement to the storytelling experience.
As a free title, Ishmael serves as a thought-provoking piece that encourages players to reflect on complex social issues.

The writing is often criticized as weak and lacking depth, which diminishes the emotional impact of the story.
Many players feel that the game does not provide a true gaming experience, as it lacks meaningful choices and gameplay mechanics.
The short runtime and repetitive audio contribute to a feeling of monotony, making it difficult for players to form a connection with the characters.

story
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
76%
9%
The story centers on a young Palestinian boy named Ishmael, offering a poignant and sad perspective on the Israel-Palestine conflict. While the narrative is described as beautiful and moving, it suffers from a lack of depth and character development, with choices feeling inconsequential. Overall, it serves as a brief, impactful experience rather than a fully fleshed-out story, appealing to those interested in exploring complex themes through a child's eyes.
- “It is a very sad telling story from the perspective of a child.”
- “The story of Ishmael is very short, lasting only 15 minutes, and focuses on the titular character with the goal of addressing a very controversial issue from the perspective of a child, portraying the Israel-Palestine conflict.”
- “A beautiful, sad, tragic, and seemingly very real short story about a world most of us will never know about otherwise.”
- “There's an illusion of choice but ultimately the main story thread is the same.”
- “The context behind the game was kind of confusing, not really understanding what the story was about, until reading through some reviews of the game.”
- “The game feels a bit clunky, choices you make don't impact the story; you get to observe things, or just skip observing them. It is also a bit difficult to imagine the story, because the background shows a picture of sand/dust all the time.”
emotional
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is marked by a complex interplay of heartbreak and trauma, particularly illustrated through themes like Stockholm syndrome and trauma bonding. While some players find the emotional depth compelling, others criticize the writing and brevity, which hinder the development of meaningful connections to the characters and their experiences. The inclusion of real photos at the end adds a poignant touch, but the overall execution leaves some feeling emotionally manipulated rather than genuinely moved.
- “Yet the casualness—up until a certain point—makes it all the more heartbreaking.”
- “Utterly, completely heartbreaking.”
- “At the end, the game shows us real photos; some of them are quite heartbreaking.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics of the game are criticized for their lack of detail and variety, primarily featuring a bland dirt floor throughout most of the gameplay. Additionally, the absence of graphical and audio options, combined with repetitive sound design and generic artwork, detracts from the overall visual experience.
- “Focusing on the technical aspects, there is very little in terms of visuals throughout the majority of the game, with the ending showing nothing but a dirt floor.”
- “It should be mentioned that the game features no graphical or audio options, and in general, it is a pain to record with software such as OBS.”
- “The repetition of sound is grating and incessantly looping, with artwork that is too generic to make an impact.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The gameplay is described as satisfactory, resembling the mechanics of older twine games, while the emotional depth of the story adds a poignant layer to the overall experience.
- “The actual gameplay aspect of this is akin to those Twine games from a few years back.”
- “It is a very moving story in terms of gameplay; I suppose it was okay, but the story itself is a beautifully sad one.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
The game's music is notably absent in the first half, creating a silent atmosphere, while the second half introduces a contrasting soundscape featuring music and gunfire during a puppet show event, enhancing the dramatic tension.
- “The other half has Ishmael going to some kind of event, with a puppet show, and him holding up a gun, while music and gunfire play.”
- “The first half of the game is entirely silent, with no music or anything, and the background is just a picture of some dust.”
- “The other half features Ishmael attending some kind of event, with a puppet show and him holding up a gun, while music and gunfire play.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is characterized as distant and alien, creating a sense of otherworldliness that enhances the overall experience.
- “The whole atmosphere seemed so distant, so alien.”