Penguin Colony was made to ‘put the games industry on notice’
Tali Faulkner says Penguin Colony was made to challenge the games industry’s reluctance to confront political atrocities. The lo-fi horror game recasts H.P. Lovecraft’s Antarctic story through an Indigenous perspective, using penguins, Nazis and cosmic horrors to explore colonialism and fascism.
Faulkner, a Māori developer from New Zealand, says player interaction lets the game create uncomfortable encounters that other forms cannot replicate in the same way. Optional discoveries, dialogue and photographs deepen its themes, while the level design and core mechanics were also central to making it playable.
In short
- Penguin Colony reframes Lovecraft’s Antarctic horror through an Indigenous lens.
- Tali Faulkner links its monsters to colonialism and fascism.
- Optional discoveries reward players who explore beyond the main path.
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The case for
Games can use interaction to make players confront political atrocities and colonialism in ways that passive media may not, while giving creators from affected communities room to tell stories through their own perspectives. On this view, challenging the industry’s reluctance to address these subjects is a legitimate artistic aim, and the game’s mechanics and optional material can carry those themes without sacrificing playability.
The case against
Games that address atrocities and fascism still need to work as games, and political intent alone cannot ensure that difficult history is handled with care or that players engage meaningfully with it. A sceptical view would question whether horror conventions and optional discoveries can do justice to these subjects, and whether making the industry “take notice” risks letting provocation overshadow the craft and nuance needed to explore them.
Explained simply
H.P. Lovecraft’s Antarctic horror story follows an expedition that uncovers signs of an ancient civilisation beneath the ice. It has since been adapted and reinterpreted in many forms, including games, where players can explore its setting and encounter its horrors.
Tali Faulkner is a Māori game developer from New Zealand. Their game uses an Indigenous perspective on the Antarctic tale, bringing together penguins, Nazis and supernatural threats to examine colonialism and fascism.
Games let players make choices and explore at their own pace, which can shape how they encounter a story’s ideas. In Penguin Colony, optional discoveries, conversations and photographs sit alongside the level design and basic gameplay.