Vessel: Gage Lindsten’s Fantasy Game

Our brains are held hostage in a foggy limbo each morning when we awake. We open our eyes, the sluggish mind struggles to segue from dreams—free and vivid—to IRL. For a brief moment, existence feels bizarre, weightless. Where am I? Who am I? Am I hungover? Our obedient little brains then acclimatize, they remember the pandemic, the somber monotony it’s lent to our new modes of reality. Another day inside, another day alone. We wake up in a strange room with no memory of how we got there. This appropriate mantra for our morning moments in isolation is also the first line of text to appear in the opening scene of Gage Lindsten’s interactive animated series, Vessel. Started nearly a month ago at the beginning of his quarantine, Vessel stars Nina, on the run from a Dr. Sphere and his androids, and a mysterious psychic hunter, The Cowboy. With comrades Veera and Zyde, the game is an interactive, immersive experience for Gage’s audience, who can weigh in to help determine what move to make next. Ever in flux and with no explicit direction, Gage’s protagonist navigates the world, puppeted along by the objective wills of those in power. Bulbous and lithe, the characters occupy an opalescent plane, punctuated by palettes of noxious black, bright fuschia and acid lime green. Like us, they careen toward an uncertain future.
-Rebecca Storm

Gage Lindsten is a 3D animator and illustrator living in Chicago. Prior to Vessel, Gage published a handful of zines such as Synergy Beat, a cyberpunk audio-illustrative zine. Vessel features an original soundtrack by Samuel Harrington. Participate in Vessel‘s fantasy world, and engage with the online community following on Gage’s IG.