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The Act

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The Act is an interactive movie arcade video game originally produced by American studio Cecropia in the United States in 2007. The game is an interactive cartoon featuring the hand-drawn art of a number of former Disney animators. It was test marketed in selected locations throughout North Ameri...

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Developer
Cecropia

Size
1 Player

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Action

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

The Act is an interactive movie arcade video game originally produced by American studio Cecropia in the United States in 2007. The game is an interactive cartoon featuring the hand-drawn art of a number of former Disney animators. It was test marketed in selected locations throughout North America in 2006, and it received generally favorable press coverage. The game was cancelled in late 2007, and Cecropia shut its doors in early 2008. The game was later ported to iOS and OSX by React Entertainment and published by Chillingo in June 2012.

The objective of The Act is to guide Edgar through a series of interactive scenes, each of which has a specific goal. The scenes vary in length, style and goal, but the player controls Edgar in each scene by way of a single control knob (or by swiping the touch screen in the iOS versions). In some scenes, the knob controls Edgar’s level of boldness as he attempts to flirt with Sylvia or tries to fit in with a crowd, while other scenes control him more directly as he attempts to perform the Heimlich maneuver on his boss or run down a series of narrow hallways while dodging obstacles. In order to succeed, the player must observe the situation and carefully manipulate the knob in order to successfully pull off an act. For example, if Edgar acts too boldly or too shy at the wrong times during the flirting scene, Sylvia will walk off. If the player fails the scene’s objective, the scene ends, then quickly rewinds back to the beginning to be played again. The player is given three attempts per credit. The game ends when the player either runs out of attempts or successfully completes the last scene.

The Act

Overview & History

Released in 2007 by React Entertainment and later brought to mobile platforms by Chillingo, *The Act* is a visually stunning, interactive romantic-comedy cartoon that originated as an unreleased arcade prototype. Set in the bustling, mid-century retro-futuristic city of Deponia, players step into the shoes of Edgar, a timid, well-meaning window washer working at the high-rise Apex Building. Edgar’s life is thrown into chaotic turmoil when he inadvertently loses his job, upsets his demanding boss, and must scramble to win back the affections of his vibrant love interest, Sylvia, while dodging the aggressive advances of his rival, Phineas. Unlike traditional arcade games dependent on button-mashing or complex joystick combos, *The Act* utilizes a continuous-play animation paradigm where the entire screen seamlessly reacts to subtle horizontal player inputs, making it a pioneering blend of classic cel animation and interactive cinema.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Gameplay revolves entirely around adjusting Edgar's attitude and emotional demeanor in real-time to navigate various social dilemmas and workplace mishaps. As cinematic sequences play out continuously, the player must gently nudge a rotary dial or slide controls left and right to push Edgar into different behavioral states—ranging from overly confident and smooth-talking to clumsy, apologetic, or defensive. Hitting the exact emotional tone required for each specific scenario keeps the narrative moving forward, whereas failing to read the social cues results in hilarious, slapstick failures that halt the scene and force a quick retry. The game features no traditional health bars, scores, or weapon inventories; instead, success is measured purely through subtle visual feedback, timing, and empathetic observation of character body language and facial expressions.