Game Development
Nightmare Temptation Academy (2020)
Nightmare Temptation Academy is a dating-simulation/choose your own adventure/roleplaying game and musical. The game is set in high school in an alternate universe at the end of the world, and explores a mechanic where the player is aware that the world is ending, but instead of having the options to play as the hero and save the world, they are forced to engage in petty inconsequential social dynamics until their demise. This designed helplessness parallels the structures in our society that prevent individuals from affecting meaningful change. Visual tropes from anime, videogames and early 2000’s digital culture are referenced and remixed to evoke nostalgia and further allegorize the uniquely Millennial adolescent experience of apathy, desensitization, and confusion caused by first-generation internet addiction and media oversaturation. A binary dialogue decision-making gameplay expresses the protagonist’s struggles with intrusive thoughts and managing impulsivity. This character-driven gameplay also explores group dynamics, power structures, relationships, morality, consent, and manipulation.
Featured In
Game Developer
Allegorizing the Millennial adolescent experience in Nightmare Temptation Academy
Bitch Media
"Nightmare Temptation Academy" Is a Video Game Challenging Rape Culture
Audiofemme
Lena NW Brings Rap, Gaming and the Apocalypse to Life with Nightmare Temptation Academy
All Ages of Geek
Lena NW's Nightmare Temptation Academy: Rap Battles & Subverting Dating Sim Tropes Through Active Consent
Credits
Concept, story, dialogue, lyrics, performances, music videos, characters, environment, graphics, animation, direction, production and implementation by Lena Natero W.
Minigames, environment, and graphics by Costcodreamgurl
Music production by Corey Regensburg
Full credits & content warnings on game download page.
Viral (2015)
Viral is a browser game created for the Rhizome.org Internet Art Microgrant. Viral conceptualizes becoming an Internet celebrity while examining how performance, narcissism, nihilism, exploitation, self-commodification and identity construction manifest on social media. During gameplay, players interact with parodies of social media applications that have been reimagined as games, to work towards the ultimate goal of becoming Internet famous at all costs. There is no immediately apparent objective in the game to simulate aimlessly wasting time on social media. Staples of Internet culture, like memes, shock sites, privacy violations, cyber-bullying and pornography are remixed and collaged. Viral references the general desensitization that characterizes Millennial, likely a response to the aberrant, bizarre and extreme content the Internet has made accessible to Millennial since adolescence.
Featured In
Rhizome.org
Now you can finally experience what it's like to commodify yourself on the internet
Announcing the 5 Internet Art Microgrant Awardees
Rhizome Today
Kotaku
The Disturbing Reality of Sex On The Internet, As Told By A Video Game
Dazed Digital
Viral: the sim sex game on the fight to be internet famous
Credits
Concept, game design, story, dialogue, characters, graphics, animation, direction, production and implementation by Lena Natero W.
UI, graphics, animation, and collage by Costcodreamgurl
Lead programming by Owen Mundy
F*** Everything (2014)
F*** Everything is a dating simulation where you can date people, animals, monsters and inanimate objects! Your sex, species, and identity is selected for you at random each time you play the game; just like being born IRL! Inspired by the past 20 years of internet culture and aesthetics, from shock sites to Dollz Mania.
"Simultaneously, a celebration of gender and sexual fluidity and a harsh criticism of hyper-masculine rape culture." -Kate Gray, Kotaku
Featured In
Kotaku
This Game Is Called Fuck Everything, Which Pretty Much Says It All
Dazed Digital
Fuck Everything: the dating sim that tackles rape culture
Credits
Created by Lena Natero W.
Full content warnings on game download page.