KING OF XANADU: And what a lovely place. by MACHINES UNDERNEATH
Content warning: Contains depictions of hunger, despotism, and mass human suffering.
Fantasy • 15 minutes or less • Web-based
There’s a stark contrast between the subtitle of the game and the content warnings. They promise very different things. The irony is reminiscent of Eric Blair (“George Orwell”)'s memoir “Such, Such Were the Joys”, detailing his traumatic and abusive experiences at boarding school, where, among other things, he was beaten for wetting the bed, even as he was told of the “properness” of the schooling system.
In this game, something similar likely occurs. The country is falling into famine, people struggling to survive, while the titular king of Xanadu rules with an iron fist, paying no regard to the suffering of the masses. Peasants are just—as the author’s name suggests—machines, inner workings underneath the splendor and beauty of the nation, hidden from view yet crucial to success.
TLDR: the inner workings are breaking down but who cares about the machinery