As a player, Fatum Betula hosts fulfilling gameplay, rewarding exploration with an atmosphere of thick nostalgia and childhood fear. As a curator, it is a brief exploration into auteur theory, and that direction is never necessarily important, only context.
Fatum Betula is a game - and an experience - that feels old school yet completely new and unique in the same breath. The lack of guidance is something that will split the gaming community, but it must be agreed that the surreal visual design is fascinating, disturbing, and brilliantly designed.
Again, I appreciated the retro visual style, and for all the weirdness of the experience I found myself wanting to see what the next ending would bring. That it is so short to run through is a blessing, but once more I’m not sure I could recommend this to anyone who isn’t really into esoteric, indie experiences.
Fatum Betula is a strange game geared towards a very specific niche. I can’t say I’m in that niche, but if you are, it’s probably going to be right up your alley.