Chicklet ‘Rita’ explores several towns throughout the game, including Shepton, while players solve word puzzles to reveal more of her story.
Soon after game developer Martin Stradling lost his grandmother, a small idea to honour her memory in a rather unique way began to develop inside his creative mind.
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“I started making a (video) game as a tribute to her, but then I didn’t touch it for a while,” Mr Stradling, the founder of indie gaming studio Sporktank, said.
“Then I went to PAX (gaming convention) and got inspired to do something with the idea. I had the energy, I had a story to tell.”
Martin Stradling (fifth from back left) with his support crew, made up of many of his family members, at the PAX gaming convention in Melbourne.
Mr Stradling grew up in Shepparton and began dabbling in game-making around the age of nine, after his father introduced him to coding.
He left the Goulburn Valley for university in 2018, while his family, including his adored grandmother Merle Stradling, stayed.
But, as Mr Stradling believes, “you are where you’re from”, and for that reason, he has weaved iconic Shepparton culture into the story of his latest game, Rita, a name derived from his grandmother’s middle name.
He says Rita is a charming word puzzle game about family and the connection between generations.
The game features a smart ‘chicklet’ and a newspaper that players unlock as they solve puzzles to learn more of the story while they explore the four-part world.
Rita the chicklet is the main character.
Rita's story spans generations, from growing up in ‘Aspendale’ to meeting her ‘grandchicklet’ in ‘Shepton’, and then beyond, before leaving a lasting legacy.
As she hops through challenges and interacts with endearing characters, there are many surprises, and plenty of warmth among the ‘a-ha’ moments.
Mr Stradling said his favourite part of his latest game was that “it’s about her”, referring to his grandmother, who passed away in November 2022, at 89.
“It’s kind of an homage,” he said.
The game has a wide target audience, with Mr Stradling suggesting people aged six to 106 would get enjoyment from it.
A screenshot from the Shepton town square in the game.
It launches on Steam, a digital gaming platform compatible with PC, Mac and Linux, on July 30.
Mr Stradling’s “whole family” will join him at a “launch party” on the weekend, where they will play the game inspired by their matriarch.
“It’s the only fitting way to celebrate a launch of something about someone,” he said.
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