Andromeda Chained

Andromeda Chained is a cleverly written interactive reimagining of a classic Greek mythology about Perseus rescuing princess Andromeda of Aethiopia from a terrible sea monster Cetus. Andromeda’s mother, Cassiopeia, slighted the Nereids by boasting that Andromeda was more beautiful, and this angered Poseidon, god of the seas. So Poseidon sent a flood and the monster Cetus to destroy Aethiopia. King Cepheus, father of Andromeda, having consulted the oracle Ammon, believed that offering Andromeda as a sacrifice to the sea monster was the only way to save his kingdom.

So Andromeda Chained begins with King Cepheus chaining his daughter to a rocky cliff at the shore. The tale is told from the perspective of Andromeda, who is given little choice about her fate. The only true choice she has is how she will express her feelings about her plight. Will she be angry? Courageous? Fearful?

When macho pretty boy Perseus enters the scene, will she be smitten? Skeptical? Angry?
The fate of Andromeda is a record of ancient Greek mythology, but how she decides to feel about it, that’s her choice, your choice as the player.

This is a very short work of interactive fiction. I was left wanting to know more about Andromeda and her life with Perseus. After all, the myths tell us that the gods were so impressed with her that they immortalized her for all time as a constellation in the stars. Surely she must have been an amazing woman and not merely a prize for Perseus. She bore seven children for the hero and stayed by his side while he ruled as King of Tiryns. Her eldest, Perses, was said to be the progenitor of Persia.

Andromeda Chained is well written and thought provoking and left me with a desire to seek out more information about the character. Unfortunately the mythology about Andromeda is rather vague, but I suspect it is enough of a scaffolding to construct a delightful retelling of this amazing woman’s story, hint, hint, Aster.