Weekend Backtrack #2: Madrid

Madrid is an interesting contrast to September 12. Also made by newsgaming.com, the game (or simulation) is similar to September 12 in that it deals with terrorism, but it comes at the subject from a completely different angle.

Madrid was created as a reaction to the terrorist bombings in Spain in 2004. The concept is simple and incredibly elegant. The player’s goal is to keep alive the candles of an illustrated vigil. When a flame is clicked it grows brighter, but it dims over time. Keeping all the candles bright is a relentless task, which seems to be the point. In all, the game’s simple reverence becomes something really beautiful in respect to the story it is inspired by.

In respect to newsgames, it is encouraging to see a game show up with such a quick turn around time. According to the developers, it was created in a day and published a couple days after the bombings. Knowing that something simple and effective can be produced within a relevant time frame is quite encouraging. It also shows that complexity in design isn’t a prerequisite for making a complex editorial point.