Indie Rock: Finger Simulator

The fingers are too long in Finger Simulator. Look at the knuckles. There’s too many knuckles. I don’t want to think about what kind of beast uses these digits to perform manual tasks and grasp objects for consumption, for transport or for their use as tools. It’s good that the rest of the body is smothered in darkness while we’re solely able to view the hand-ends. It allows us to presume that the owner of these fingers is a human, albeit a comically over-proportioned one. What if it isn’t human, though? What if it is something else entirely? Then what are we truly simulating here?

You’re supposed to guide these fingers into holes in order to progress, spelling out letters and moving forward to new characters that these phalanges design. The worst thing you can do in Finger Simulator [or in life – Ed.] is put your finger into the hole too quickly. These fingers were designed to flop around a bit and be somewhat inaccurate. They’ve got so much animation you’d miss out on by doing things properly. Experience what it’s like to have fingers and what it’d be like if they were really long. Take your time. You can’t get this kind of drama elsewhere.

The sound design’s great. Your fingers have this brillo-pad-on-felt texture that causes a louder noise as they’re moved quicker. It’s an ASMR hit for me, a tingle in my spine like I’m the surface being tenderly hovered over with a slight connection, a barely present touch. I’d drag them around all day if I didn’t have other, less interesting, shit to do with my limited grown-up free time. Long behind me are my Looking At And Listening To Fingers All Afternoon And Night days.

Thump them against the sides a bit and hear the muted patting, an impotent Paff as if it’s upset the job was incomplete. Hit the walls back and forth with your nail and notice that there’re way more sound samples than there should ever need to be. Slam the finger back and forth out of the darkness, listen to that THUNK as it slots into place. Thunk the finger, motherfucker. I’m telling you.

Too few finger-letters to design in this video game. Would recommend to fans of the genre. Out now on the PC Browser Platform.