And Other Stories makes you steer four compact narrative worlds at the same time. The same movement ripples through every pane, so a simple walk becomes an exercise in noticing dialogue, echoes, and visual spillover across several slices of life.
What is And Other Stories?
Most interactive stories ask you to inhabit one perspective. This one hands the keyboard to four of them. Arrow keys or WASD move every little figure together, while touching objects opens conversations in their respective worlds. The scenes are built from Bitsy, Unity, photography, sprite art, and music, with a larger frame that responds as the stories unfold. The result is less like switching channels and more like trying to follow several memories at once: connections can emerge in the corner of your eye, and missed details become part of the texture rather than a simple mistake.
What you can do there
- Move four characters together
- Collide with objects to trigger dialogue
- Follow connections across the four stories
Why we picked it
The shared-control idea is more than a visual stunt. It turns divided attention into the central mechanic and gives four modest spaces an unusual collective rhythm. Independent curators have also carried it beyond its itch.io page, including Indiepocalypse and a 2024 Art Gallery of Ontario program.
How to get the most from it
Start the browser build, then use the arrow keys or WASD. Walk into people and objects to trigger text, but resist trying to read every pane with equal precision on the first pass. Let one story lead for a while, notice what the same movement does elsewhere, and replay if you want to follow a different thread. A Windows download is also available.
Good to know
The browser and Windows builds are offered free with optional payment; a two-dollar contribution unlocks a large source-material package. The page warns that the PC build has better audio if the browser version crackles. Four moving scenes and reactive margin effects can be visually demanding, and touch, mobile, save, accessibility, and remapping behavior remain undocumented.
Who made it, and when?
JohnLee Cooper is the credited creator or organization. The earliest supported launch date we found is August 12, 2020.
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