What did Jew Say?

On the weekend I had the pleasure of casting another game from my Hall of Shame - this time, it's the indie game wonder The Shivah.

Original image located here. Accessed 19th May 2014

As is often the case, I heard about this game largely through reputation: An indie game made by three guys? An adventure game based around a Jewish rabbi being a detective? Such a setup may sound bizarre on paper but somehow it sounds crazy enough to work. And that is enough to pique my interest.
So I went to Steam, found the game and played it all the way through - And what did I think of it?

Well for starters it is terribly short. But, as is often the case with adventure games, the game is saved by some superb writing. Indeed, the plot has enough clout to see it all the way through and Rabbi Russell Stone is a character that undergoes significant changes throughout to make him a compelling one. And the voice acting is good enough, for an indie game, to make the rest of the cast believable.

However what I find particularly interesting about this game is that it is a game that has some positive things to say about religion. This is indeed rare in gaming as religion is treated in gaming as either inspirations behind some truly lousy games (Super Noah's Ark 3d) or as the force opposing the PC (90% of all JRPGs ever made). That being said, I can't think of any game where the PC is a man of a religious faith who faces down corruption in his religion and, by the end of the game, learns something that restores his dwindling faith.
Does religion have a place in gaming? Well one would think so provided it's done right - and in that sense, the Shivah presents a convincing case.