Games
Forthcoming
Narrative Director
Details forthcoming.
Along the River of Spacetime, 2020
Designer, Artist, Writer
Along the River of Spacetime is a virtual reality game made possible thanks to the Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship 2018 that engages in activating Anishinaabe knowledge to restore eco-systems with art, design, and writing by Elizabeth LaPensée and sound by Exquisite Ghost. It has been adapted into the planetarium show “Living in Balance: Anishinaabe Star Knowledge” in partnership with Native Skywatchers available through Abrams Planetarium with translations by Alphonse Pitawanakwat and additional translations and voice over by Aarin Dokum.
When Rivers Were Trails, 2019
Creative Director, Designer, Artist, Writer
When Rivers Were Trails is an educational 2D adventure game (PC, Mac, Android, iPad) that follows the impact of allotment acts on Indigenous communities in the 1890’s. Developed in collaboration with the Indian Land Tenure Foundation and Michigan State University’s Games for Entertainment and Learning Lab as a component to Lessons of Our Land with art by Weshoyot Alvitre and music by Supaman. Winner of the Adaptation Award at IndieCade 2019. Exhibited at Native American and Indigenous Studies Association Conference 2019, Asinabka Film and Media Arts Festival 2019, imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival 2019, Game On! El Arte en Juego Festival 2019, Serious Games Showcase & Challenge 2019, Open World Arcade 2019 at Akron Museum of Art, and “Regeneration: Breaking Time with Indigenous Video Games Exhibit” at Western Front Centre.
Dialect, 2017
Writer
Dialect is a story game where players participate in an isolated community whose language emerges and must be protected from loss as they establish values, interact, and face challenges through modular world-building. Designed by Thorny Games with writing by Elizabeth LaPensée. Winner of the Tabletop Award at IndieCade Europe 2019. Nominated for Game of the Year at the GenCon ENnie Awards 2019.
Thunderbird Strike, 2017
Designer, Artist, Writer
In the 2D sidescroller Thunderbird Strike, fly from the Tar Sands to the Great Lakes as a thunderbird protecting Turtle Island with searing lightning against the snake that threatens to swallow the lands and waters whole. With design, art, and writing by Elizabeth LaPensée, programming by Adrian Cheater and Aubrey Jane Scott, and music and sound effects by NÀHGĄ a.k.a. Casey Koyczan. Winner of Best Digital Media at imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival 2017. Winner of Runner-Up at EarthGames on Tap 2018. Exhibited at “Thunderbird Strike: Art and Arcade” at Western Arctic Moving Pictures, “The Environmental Justice and Decolonization” Game Curious Series, Native American and Indigenous Studies Association Conference 2019, “Regeneration: Breaking Time with Indigenous Video Games Exhibit” at Western Front Centre, and more.
Where the Water Tastes Like Wine, 2017
Writer
Where the Water Tastes Like Wine is a bleak American folk tale about traveling, sharing stories, and surviving manifest destiny. Designed by Johnnemann Nordhagen and developed by Dim Bulb Games and Serenity Forge with writing by Elizabeth LaPensée and more. Winner of Developer Choice at IndieCade 2017. ‘Nuova’ Honorable Mention at Independent Games Festival 2017. RPGFan.com Best of Show E3 2017. Excellence in Narrative Nominee at Independent Games Festival 2017, AMAZE Award Nominee, IGN Best of Show E3 2017 Nominee. Exhibited at IndieCade 2017 and more.
Coyote Quest, 2017
Narrative Designer & Writer
Coyote Quest is a point-and-click adventure game for the web based on Coyote's Crazy Smart Science Show on Aboriginal Peoples Television Network that engages in Indigenous science through Coyote's tricky style. With creative direction by Loretta Todd, narrative design and writing by Elizabeth LaPensée, art by Nelson Dedos Garcia, music by Mob Bounce, design and programming by Silverstring Media, and production by Agentic Digital Media. Exhibited at imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival 2018.
Mikan, 2017
Designer & Artist
Inspired by traditional moccasin game, Mikan is a finding game that passes on phrases such as jiimaan (canoe) in Anishinaabemowin. Available for mobile and more recently on PC and Mac. Created for and on display at the Duluth Children's Museum with design and art by Elizabeth LaPensée and programming by Tyler Coleman.
Honour Water, 2016
Designer, Artist, Writer
Honour Water is a singing game for mobile (iOS) developed by Pinnguaq with art and design by Elizabeth LaPensée. Songs by Anishinaabe elders and Sharon Day sung by the Oshkii Giizhik Singers pass on teachings about water in Anishinaabemowin. Exhibited at imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival 2016, Water Moves MSU, Frozen River Film Festival 2016, Asinabka Festival 2017, Native American and Indigenous Studies Association Conference 2019, and more.
Singuistics: Anishinaabemowin, 2016
Producer & Artist
Singuistics: Anishinaabemowin is a singing game for mobile (iOS) which passes on language featuring singing by the Miskwaasining Nagamojig with design by Pinnguaq and art by Elizabeth LaPensée, Shaun Hedican, Simone McLeod, and more.
Invaders, 2015
Designer & Programmer
With design and programming by Elizabeth LaPensée, art by Steven Paul Judd, and music by Trevino Brings Plenty, Invaders is a spin on the classic arcade game Space Invaders. It was originally developed for mobile and now archived on PC. Shown at Babycastles, SAW Gallery, Bloodlines at Bridge Productions, imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival 2015, Indie Revolution Expo 2016, and Digital Games Research Association + Foundations of Digital Games Conference 2016.