GROUNDHOG DAY
Groundhog Day. The idea may sound silly at first, but hear me out on this one. Many consider Groundhog Day and Edge of Tomorrow to be like a video game, because the character continually dies until he learns how to handle the task at hand. Why not bring that back full circle and make Groundhog Day a video game?
The gameplay would give players a set number of days to figure out how to achieve the “perfect day.” Set in a small fictional town in which every building you see can be explored, every character fully interacted with, and the outcomes change depending on what time of day you choose to interact with them. Watch characters freak out when you begin to learn more about them than they know about themselves.
In the ever changing landscape of gaming, what players are wanting more of are choices, and that those choices are making a legitimate impact on the story. In this game, your choices mean everything. Your choices are the only thing. Your choices either lead you down a destructive path that will doom you to remain in the time loop for eternity, or they will lead you to the freedom of seeing tomorrow. What makes Groundhog Day unique is that your consequences are wiped free at the start of each day. If you rob a bank and go to jail, nobody will remember when the day starts over again. You can choose to rob a bank, or you can save a homeless man’s life as he nearly chokes to death in an alley.
Whereas many games reward players for the destruction they cause, Groundhog Day puts a fresh spin on things by gearing people toward performing a series of good deeds to bring that “perfect day” to fruition. Players can still waste a few days causing mayhem, but remember, the ultimate goal is to achieve that perfect day in as few days as possible. The challenge stems from finding what it will take to make your character become a better person. Be prepared for moral dilemmas aplenty as you navigate your decisions to end the time loop and get back on with your life.
