PC Gamer - UK (2022-04)

W

ho are OFK? The answer is slightly

complicated. They’re a sort of virtual

band, starring in a game about how they

got together and started making

introspective indie pop. Imagine a low key, achingly

hip, hyper progressive Gorillaz, and you’re...

probably a bit lost. But that’s OK, because in

chapter one of this narrative-driven experience,

OFK are a bit lost too.

jobs that they long to escape from into

the world of music are... very cool,

important roles at a wildly successful

videogame company.

And you know what? I love that about

it. It’s a wonderfully relaxed story,

brought to life with cosy music and a

warm, soft art style. As the kids would

say, the vibes are impeccable. Well-

observed writing gives every meandering

conversation and goofy text chain a

remarkable authenticity, slowly building a

sympathetic portrait of characters who in

less deft hands would be the poster

children for first world problems. The

demo build only gives me access to the

first of five chapters, but by the end of its

roughly hour-long run time I’m

completely enchanted.

HIT PL AY

That light, leisurely atmosphere extends

to the game’s approach to interactivity.

Which is to say, there isn’t much, really.

You get to choose dialogue options, or

what to reply to a text, but it hardly

seems to affect the story. And that’s fine

• it helps emphasise a sense of going
  with the flow, involved in the characters’
  plights but not in control of them.
  The final game will punctuate
  chapters with playable music videos –
  again only lightly interactive, but
  enjoyably surreal, which seems like it’ll be
  a clever break from the subdued story.
  More importantly, the songs are really
  fun and catchy, showing off the genuine
  musical talent behind the virtual facade.
  You can listen to their first single, Follow/
  Unfollow, on Spotify now.
  I can’t wait to hear more of these
  tracks, in between luxuriating in the
  band’s engrossing non-problems. Maybe
  you don’t quite get it now, but when the
  full game launches this spring, I’ll get to
  be the one telling everyone I was into OFK
  before it was cool.
  Robin Valentine

A WONDERFULLY

RELAXED STORY,

BROUGHT TO LIFE

WITH COSY MUSIC

PLAYED

IT

A fake band, a real videogame,

and the joy of going with the flow

WE ARE OFK

Pianist Itsumi and singer/songwriter

Luca are adrift, living in LA but struggling

to figure out their dreams, let alone follow

them. That is, until a chance encounter

with a disarmingly confident music

producer sets them on a new path.

The drama is almost comically low in

stakes. There’s anxiety, and heartbreak,

and creative burnout, but no real threat

or conflict. The characters live laid-back

lives, enjoying a near endless stream of

support from loving friends. To give you

an idea, Itsumi and Luca’s stifling office

We Are OFK

PREVIEW

RELEASE

2022

DEVELOPER

Team OFK

PUBLISHER

In-house

LINK

ofk.cool

NEED TO KNOW