Emperor

This interactive VR experience puts you inside the brain of a man with aphasia. You not only share the experience of a father who has lost his speech, but also hear the story of his daughter, who is trying to communicate with him. She attempts to unravel the past that he can no longer talk about, and you join her in the puzzle.

After the daughter has introduced their story, you take on the role of the father during a speech therapy session. You try to perform different exercises with your hands. They are apparently simple, but your control is disrupted—you’re unable to express what you mean. And then early memories emerge, which prove stronger than the here-and-now of the exercises.

Monochrome pencil drawings come to life like a dreamy and imaginative animated experience—and you’re right in the middle of it, transported to the mysterious geography of Aphasia.