Cuba's First Video Game: Will 'Savior' Make the Post-Fidel Country a Gaming Nation? It Depends on Crowdfunding

Joshua Pagliery might have to move mountains to make "Savior," Cuba's first independent video game, a success. It breaks away from the usual government-approved games that are more propaganda than entertainment. A window of opportunity exists through crowdfunding in countries outside the United States. The recent death of President Fidel Castro has opened that door indefinitely. So far, the results have been promising - funds have poured in and feedback from gamers say that Pagliery has a winner on his hands.

If "Savior" does fly, it just might pave the way for others to follow, and make Cuba a gaming nation. This new industry can help support its economy and save it from its current financial challenges following Castro's departure.

As portrayed by WLRN, Pagliery was an artist who was captivated by the gaming world when icons like "Super Mario Brothers" and "Sword and Sorcery" started popping up in his country. For decades, under Castro's regime, so-called "western entertainment" was frowned on, because it might allegedly corrupt the citizens, especially Cuban youth. The games that had flourished under the iron regime were more educational than recreational. They were designed to teach young people history lessons about the Cuban Revolution and the part that they were to play in realizing Castro's dream.The arrival of "Super Mario Brothers" shattered that mold, and set Pagliery free to pursue his own dream.

''Savior" contains the typical storyline of heroes facing powerful creatures as they go on an exploration of a mysterious land. It is also shaded with the history of its creator's country. The users who enter this world are on a quest for redemption: they seek the answers and mystical weapons and tools to restore their country after its 'god' had suddenly collapsed. Members of the international gaming community were impressed by its 'haunting and dream-like design.' The storyline echoes the fantasy elements of Tolkien, the mechanical rigidity of Karel Capek, and the Bible's lessons on sin and salvation.

Pagliery would have had a hard time finding funding for his game. But recent events have opened Cuba to the world, says Polygon. His visits to the US brought him in close contact with fellow gamers and artists who encouraged him to pursue his vision. A campaign brought in $12,000.

Pagliery realizes that this is just the start to an uphill climb to gain attention and more funding. But he says he is spurred not just by a desire to succeed but to pave a way for others to follow. If this first independent game soars, other developers just might try creating their own. "Savior" then would have lived up to its name, by redeeming a community of artists, designers, writers, and other producers who might not have recognized their gifts under the former regime.

,