Phonopolis

Phonopolis is a story-driven puzzle adventure set in a dystopian city where an authoritarian Leader controls every aspect of life through omnipresent loudspeakers. The city itself is uniquely crafted from hand-painted cardboard, giving it a distinct stop-motion aesthetic that draws inspiration from avant-garde art movements like constructivism and futurism. This paper-built world comes alive with traditional 12 frames-per-second animation, evoking the charm of classic stop-motion films. Against this backdrop, players follow Felix, a young dustman who becomes immune to the Leader’s commands and discovers a looming threat known as the Absolute Tone—an overwhelming signal that would rob citizens of their humanity. Tasked with preventing the Leader’s plan, Felix navigates a surreal environment filled with puzzles that blend seamlessly into the city’s cardboard structures. Gameplay in Phonopolis revolves around interacting with the environment and manipulating the loudspeakers that control the populace. Players can twist walls, shuffle floors, operate machinery, and tear through paper curtains to solve a variety of carefully crafted challenges. The puzzles encourage creative problem-solving by allowing Felix to use the city’s auditory controls to influence other characters and elements within the world. The narrative, loosely inspired by the works of Karel Čapek and George Orwell, explores themes of social control and individualism while maintaining a playful and light-hearted tone. Complementing the visual style is an atmospheric soundtrack by Tomáš Dvořák (Floex), known for his work on Machinarium and Samorost 3, which deepens the immersive experience of this unique cardboard dystopia.