Indika: a video game that criticizes the system and the Russian Orthodox Church.Image: YouTube screenshot
The Kremlin is trying to influence young Russians through video games, even more so since international developers have left the country in droves. But not all games are to the taste of the master of the Kremlin.
Fiona Scotoni / ch media
More from “International”
Indika is a nun. Her daily life at the monastery consists of praying and working, but her sisters do not like her. Is it because Indika hears and sees things that others don’t? Like this voice that constantly questions the validity of the convent’s rules and draws his attention to logical errors in his faith?
When she is tasked with delivering a letter, she not only undertakes a physical journey through a fictional Russia of the 19e century, but also a spiritual journey. Because the more she advances, the more she begins to question her faith, her religion and the systems she knows. And listening to the evil voice that accompanies it.
This story is the plot of a video game developed by the Russian studio Odd Meter. This is surprising, because the alliance between Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church makes any criticism of this institution dangerous. The conservative ideology of the Orthodox Church increasingly permeates the state and also marks Russian society. Religion is an important part of the country’s cultural identity. This was also once the case for Dmitry Svetlov, the game’s creative director and author.
Indika is an adventure game whose strength lies in its intrigue and puzzles. It addresses themes of sin, suffering, and moral dilemmas and feels more like an indie film that challenges social norms than a game that relies solely on entertainment and responsiveness.
Influence the population
You could say: it’s just a video game. Nobody will care. And especially not Putin, who is really not an Internet user. But the Russian government has long seen gaming as a way to influence its young population.
“The Kremlin has been actively trying to reach out to young people in this way for ten to twelve years. They must be introduced into worlds of experience in which the superiority of Russian civilization can be shown.
Ulrich Schmid, professor of Russian culture and society at the University of St. Gallen
A void to fill
This strategy has taken on new momentum since the invasion of Ukraine. International gaming companies have pulled out of Russia, leaving a void that the Kremlin now wants to fill with its own consoles and games, according to Russian media.
But foreign companies are not the only ones to have left Russia. The studio behindIndika, which consisted of fourteen people, took refuge in Kazakhstan, because some of the developers were of military age and opposed the conflict. Moreover, Dmitry Svetlov publicly spoke out against the war. The members of Odd Meter no longer felt safe and ended their game in the neighboring country.
Ulrich Schmid explains:
“Social ideas have always been thematized in art. Traditionally, it was literature. In the 20th century, cinema and television grew in importance, and now video games are also part of it.
Indika is definitely one of those games that not only deals with social ideas, but also criticizes society and the system. Indika has already attracted the attention of the whole world – who are also full of praise for this game. If Putin were to hear about it, he should not be happy.
Translated and adapted from German by Léa Krejci
All the hot news on Ukraine…
Show all articles
Passing through New Caledonia, French President Emmanuel Macron called for appeasement in the archipelago shaken by a wave of violence, which led to the death of six people.
“I decided to come because we must never let violence take hold,” explained the head of state, in an interview with the public channel New Caledonia The 1st, recorded during his short visit on Thursday and broadcast on Friday. He justified the significant resources deployed, in particular the 3,000 personnel of the internal security forces, by the need for a “return to calm”.
