The game is set in Pavia, the city is introduced to the player immediately: there are references to the River Ticino, the Ponte Coperto bridge that divides the city proper from Borgo Ticino, to Piazza Ghinaglia and the statue there commemorating the Communist student Ferruccio Ghinaglia who was killed by Fascist militants in 1921. “I am somewhat obsessed by my city, I talk about it all the time and too much. I wanted to include geographical and historical references in this game because I think that political dynamics are also created through the awareness of places and their history. I am very happy that people who play this game learn where to find Piazzale Ghinaglia or Strada Nuova for example, because there are scenes with a map for planning the strategy”. (interview with Mauro Vanetti published on The Bottom Up).
The game is set in Pavia, the city is introduced to the player immediately: there are references to the River Ticino, the Ponte Coperto bridge that divides the city proper from Borgo Ticino, to Piazza Ghinaglia and the statue there commemorating the Communist student Ferruccio Ghinaglia who was killed by Fascist militants in 1921. “I am somewhat obsessed by my city, I talk about it all the time and too much. I wanted to include geographical and historical references in this game because I think that political dynamics are also created through the awareness of places and their history. I am very happy that people who play this game learn where to find Piazzale Ghinaglia or Strada Nuova for example, because there are scenes with a map for planning the strategy”. (interview with Mauro Vanetti published on The Bottom Up).
Described by the creator as a “gaming leaflet”, Litte Antifa Novel is a visual novel created to record events in Pavia during a Neofascist procession held annually (until 2016) to commemorate Emanuele Zilli, a militant in the MSI organization, who died in Borgo Ticino in 1973. The game asks the player to organize the counter protest – promoted by the Rete Antifascista Pavia and ANPI – that really took place on 5 November 2016. Moving through a route of choices, the player has to decide how to behave and which ethical and organizational behaviour to adopt. The game has been the target of heated political controversy since publication.