The Tender Cut Offers a Slice of Surrealism

Fans of the 1929 surrealist short film, Un Chien Andalou (An Andalusian Dog), have the chance to experience it in a novel way thanks to The Tender Cut, a first-person interactive adventure developed by Russian team No, thanks. The game, which draws inspiration from the “Il etait une fois” scene of the film, invites players to dive into a surreal atmosphere and share the character’s dream-like experience.  

Although the game’s monochromatic aesthetic and title might suggest a horror adventure, the developers reveal that the focus of The Tender Cut is more about the different ways people experience feelings in a dream; an otherwise ordinary action could yield surrealistic consequences. The visual style specifically attempts to combine the atmosphere of a strange dream with an old film, and almost every item that players can interact with is a prototype from the original film.

As a self-contained product, The Tender Cut can be enjoyed even by those who have not seen Un Chien Andalou, however, for a deeper experience the developers suggest having some familiarity with the film’s initial scene. Those interested in immersing themselves in the eeriness of The Tender Cut can do so for free via itch.io or Game Jolt.  

For more information on The Tender Cut, and to stay in the loop on the latest projects from No, thanks, be sure to follow them on Twitter. What do you think about The Tender Cut? Would Salvador Dalí have been impressed? Let us know in the comments section.