Indie developers are at the forefront of telling stories from different perspectives, and MyDear.exe showcases love from the perspective of an elderly couple. Ellie and Lucien have been together for 57 years, but the course of true love is rarely smooth. As they are both fans of computer games, Lucien has created a collection of short minigames and puzzles for Ellie to solve that tells the story of their lives. It’s a wonderfully heartfelt and warming experience.
MyDear.exe is a fake OS game. You’ll log into their laptop, move around folders and files, and solve password clues to unlock more things to explore. Photos, documents, and occasional command prompts lead most of the puzzle solving, but each password has a different approach. Using good observation and the bookmark system to pull up different pictures to make a whole password is critical to success, but MyDear.exe never becomes abstract. The answers are always on the screen and in the files. You just have to look hard enough. These pictures and documents tell the story of Ellie and Lucien as they meet, date, and pursue careers before they marry and consider a family. Hearing the duo reminisce about key moments in life through voice-acted comments is a lovely narrative touch that brings a lot of their love and personality to life. They have a soft Norman Wisdom swagger to them that feels cosy.
Lucien has also created various minigames that have multiple levels to them that embellish the story. As he was a postman on a bike, we get a very simple 2D trials-esque minigame. Their pet cat gets a 2D brawler minigame to fight local animals and snotty children. The dog gets a conversational RPG battle system as he guides the humans through critical life choices. Ellie’s love of photography is turned into a painting-by-numbers minigame, and an optional Minesweeper game is available, too. The minigames are implemented well and are simple to complete, with responsive controls whenever timing matters. They occur often, so they break up the folder and document maze that wraps around the main narrative.
The tale of Ellie and Lucien is an uplifting one, although it doesn’t shy away from some difficult moments. In the 2-3 hours you’ll spend with them, you’ll grow fond of their sweet demeanour and soft chuckles. It reminds me of going through old photo albums with my mum, but as an interactive story to stand by love and not let circumstance get in the way. If you are looking for a binge-worthy tug on your heartstrings, but also don’t want complete emotional devastation either, then MyDear.exe will be that mug of hot chocolate for your soul.
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