1984 (Demo)

Overview

1984 is a short but interesting online side-scrolling platform game for browsers (Flash) created by LittleDickens5, inspired — albeit loosely — by George Orwell’s landmark dystopian novel 1984. Published as a demo in July 6, 2012, though never completed, this platformer presents an atmospheric and thematically intriguing glimpse into a totalitarian world where surveillance, fear, and control reign supreme.

Set in a cityscape patrolled by robotic sentinels and faceless figures, 1984 invites players to sneak, run, and hide through industrial corridors while evading ever-watchful eyes. The gameplay mechanics include stealth-based movement, hiding behind crates, and timing your actions to avoid detection.

While the narrative is minimal — there’s no explicit plot or intro — the visual and musical design manage to establish a mood that echoes Orwell’s haunting vision. It’s a grim, metallic world, lacking personal identity — exactly what you’d expect from a society governed by the Big Brother.

The game doesn’t follow Orwell’s plot directly, but it embodies core elements of 1984: surveillance (represented by security bots and visual scanning), loss of individual agency, and a bleak, oppressive environment evocative of Airstrip One. In some ways, this abstract approach allows the game to be an interpretive adaptation — not bound to the novel’s storyline, but still faithful to its tone.

Despite its unfinished state, the game drew attention upon release for its concept and aesthetics. Players praised its atmosphere, music, and potential, even as they critiqued the controls and the lack of narrative structure.

It’s such a shame that it has never been completed. Anyway, it’s still playable and really interesting due to its theme and atmospheric setting. In fact, it remains a compelling example of how independent developers explored literary themes using simple tools like Flash, standing as a digital artifact of a time when creative expression thrived on experimental platforms.

In a world increasingly shaped by surveillance, algorithmic control, and data exploitation, the themes of Orwell’s novel — and projects like this — feel more relevant than ever.

More info and games

• George Orwell’s 1984 @ Archive – The book that inspired this game.
• Hamster Escape Jailbreak
• Dictator Simulator: 1984
• Shadow Ninja Revenge
• Santa's Surprise
• One Escape

Featured video

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Don't troll, don't use profanity, don't spam your crappy url. Only comments in english. Your comments must follow our Terms And Conditions.