Immortality is an interactive film game by Sam Barlow and Half Mermaid, released in 2022. Players search through footage from three lost films spanning five decades to uncover the mystery of a vanished actress — a formally inventive work that pushes the boundaries of what interactive storytelling can be.
Immortality is an interactive film game developed and published by Half Mermaid Productions, directed by Sam Barlow. Released in August 2022, it follows the story of Marissa Marcel, an actress who made three films across different decades — none of which were ever released — and subsequently disappeared.
Players explore a database of film footage by pausing and clicking on objects, faces, or moments within clips to jump to related footage across the three productions. The mechanic evokes channel-surfing or film editing, gradually revealing connections across time and between characters. There is no fixed order; the mystery unfolds differently depending on which threads the player pulls.
The embedded movies — Ambrosio (1968), Minsky (1970), and Two of Everything (1999) — are fully produced period pieces with distinct cinematographic styles, making Immortality as much a film experience as a game. The cast delivers complete performances, many of which only become fully legible after the player has assembled enough context.
Immortality was co-named Game of the Year 2022 by Edge magazine alongside Elden Ring — a rare double-award reflecting the publication's view that both represented the outer edge of what games could achieve that year. The game was widely praised for its ambition, its layered narrative, and its unique contribution to the interactive film genre.