Not much is known about
Bit Bash's super-secret, we-shouldn't-be-telling-you-about-this event
Initiation, set to take place Wednesday, March 14 at
1st Ward at the Chop Shop. That may or may not be true, but Bit Bash's latest event, announced around the time we'd been experiencing
their collaboration with the Art Institute, is all about the clandestine.
Initiation promises cult favorite indie games, custom cocktails and intrigue in an event that's probably been hyped more than
Bit Bash's self-titled annual event.
Leaks about the event have been both cryptic and silly—and sometimes both at once. Those who could decipher Bit Bash's
Twitter ciphers received discounts and the rest of us wondered what we were missing out on. Just about two weeks ago now, a
new video surfaced that gave a little bit more detail on the games that would be involved, and gave us one more reason to be glad we're getting in (we're getting in...right?)
We're risking much to give you the following information:
Initiation will feature some of the most talked about and well-loved games in the industry, with an emphasis on co-op experiences. This includes things like the
Edgar Rice Soirée, an installation piece that uses 30 PS Move controllers (part of the Playstation VR system) and has also been affectionately known as the "
Awkward Tarzan Grinding Game" and "
Edgar Rice Frotteur." The controllers are hung from the ceiling, and four players navigate the field, attempting to always hold two controllers of their own color. As you can imagine, as the colors move and the strings tangle, you'll get more up close and personal with fellow initiates and more desperate to grab onto your color, lest you be eliminated. Hilarity, we're very sure, will ensue.
Some other fantastic co-op experiences you'll get a chance to partake in come in a variety of flavors. There's
The Moon Fields, a sword and sorcery indie that's getting a lot of positive attention (and that we first saw at the
Playtest Party),
Starwhal, a radical co-op experience that's decked out in 90s/outrun finery, and
Invisiballs, a motion-controlled battle of the ball maze that's slated to come to Nintendo Switch in the first quarter of 2018.
Other games of note range from
Frog Fractions, the
totally innocuous kid-friendly game that teaches you fractions,
Orwell: Ignorance is Strength, an episodic sleuthing game that both fits with the party's theme and unfortunately, the political climate,
Please Don't Touch Anything, a game with 11 different endings that you can discover depending on what you do (or don't) do, and a cypher-filled mobile game we're loving called
Touchtone.
Other evening enhancers are set to include custom cocktails, food and interesting pieces like the
Interstellar Selfie Station, which emulates the GameBoy camera feature we spent some serious time with in the days of our youth. All in all, Initiation sounds like a blast, and we're excited to take part in it. Initiation happens Wednesday, March 14 from 7 to 11 pm at 1st Ward at the Chop Shop. Chop Shop is located at 2033 W North Ave, and tickets for Initiation are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. If you'd like to attend,
click here for more information and tickets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRyYrxn2psg&t=1s
