The Odd Gentleman brings us a game about sign language through musical form
Harmonium, which premiered during the Game Awards, is an interactive sign language musical adventure narrative where you play as Melody Macato. She’s a 10-year-old Filipina-American musician who became Deaf at a young age. In her upcoming debut, she wants to create a new type of music that can be felt and experienced in a more accessible way.
Melody’s music takes form, leaping off the page and creating a world called Harmonium. She’ll have to navigate this musical and visual world to get home in time for her show. But to do that, she’ll have to face Cacophany which can only be defeated with a masterpiece symphony. Harmonium invites players into a gameplay of innovative mechanics and narrative puzzles that include American Sign Language, allowing players to communicate in a physical way rather than with words. The Odd Gentleman brings us a story that proves to be an amazing journey through song and exploration that is sure to pull at heartstrings and paint a heartwarming picture. It has several accessibility features: “visual language for music, animated subtitles for musical numbers, customizable captions/UI/controls, characters who fully communicate through ASL, a high-contrast gameplay mode, dubbed or subtitled mode, and more”.
With interactive numbers that have branching dialogues that affect the lyrics and gameplay, there’s sure to be a unique and replayable experience in the game.
Harmonium is a collaboration of talented individuals in the Deaf Community coming together to present an accessible game for all ages. Writers, designers, artists, and animators have all banded together to bring a story that has grown authentically to represent Melody’s story.
If you want to follow the team and get more information about Harmonium, you can find more information on the developer’s website or X. You won’t want to miss out on updates about Melody’s story. It promises to be touching, charming, and humorous.