This bizarre item came across our radar thanks to the music site Consequence of Sound: a European developer has designed a new video game inspired by the ultimate dark-rock band, Joy Division. For those of you who need a little background, Joy Division is considered by many to be the original Gothic rock group, who formed in the UK in the late '70s and released several hit songs including the classic “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” counter-balancing the punk trend at that time and changing the path of rock music forever. The band's career was cut short in 1980 when frontman Ian Curtis committed suicide, but the other members went on to form another iconic band, New Order.
So that's the setup, but now you're probably wondering how the hell this could translate to video game play. Well, UK developer Mighty Box Games believe they have the answer to that. The browser-based game follows the title song's themes of damaged relationships to create “a dark and frustrating perspective on love,” with each game level based on a different verse.
According to creator Gordon Calleja, the game rules are driven by “ambition to frustrate, upset and sting the player into remembering the dark days preceding the death of a relationship,” and it encourages players to “reflect on the darker side of love.” The promo clip below doesn't come with a content warning, but those coming off of a nasty breakup might want to seriously consider waiting a little while before diving into this one.
Otherwise, grab some snacks, fire up the game at this link (note: it doesn't appear to be supported by mobile devices yet), and settle in for a fun-filled afternoon of hopelessness and despair!