If Found... review – moving coming-of-age tale framed by rugged Irish coast

PC, Mac, iOS; Dreamfeel/Annapurna Interactive
Delicate illustrations depict a world slipping away in this poignant drama, with memories we're invited to help young Kasio erase

An emotional and richly detailed reflection on growing up in mid-90s Ireland, If Found ... tells the story of young Kasio's difficult return home from university through the pages of her journal. Delicate illustrations depict a world slipping away from her: sometimes they're animated with a stop-motion quality, flickering on the page; sometimes they're filled with impressionistic colour, a window into Kasio's psyche.

But rather than helping to write these pages, we are asked to erase them, using a finger or mouse to rub the screen to assist Kasio in processing this painful period of her life. From fraught exchanges with her mother to packed venues pulsating to rock music, events are scrubbed from the diary using this simple, tactile interaction. Where most video games ask players to contribute to on-screen mayhem, If Found ... is about subtraction and its minimalist tools produce affecting results.