Harmonium the Musical is an upcoming narrative adventure game that will be released on Netflix Games, PC, Xbox, and Microsoft Game Pass. At this moment, no release date has been set. The Odd Gentlemen created this game in collaboration with the Deaf Community. Harmonium the Musical follows Melody Macato, a young Filipino-American Deaf musician with a dream to create music that is accessible to her friends.

The focus of Harmonium the Musical is one of accessibility and representation. An important aspect of the gameplay, according to The Odd Gentlemen, is the incorporation of American Sign Language (ASL). ASL is extremely important to the Deaf Community and a huge part of Deaf Culture. With Melody being Deaf, it is not surprising that the game has created a gameplay that focuses on ASL. The mechanics and puzzles within the game incorporate ASL as an important part of moving the story forward.

Representation in media has increased over the years. However, representation doesn’t stop at including a character with disabilities or other ethnicities and backgrounds. It is important to remember that the cultures and languages should influence the character as well. This is especially true for marginalized groups, such as the Deaf Community. Introducing a Deaf character is more than just having a character that cannot hear, it requires care and diligence to the culture they are from. If the character is Deaf, they should be a proper representation of the Deaf Community. It is also important to have someone that is part of that same community on staff to make sure no mistakes are made.

Harmonium the Musical being a collaborative effort of the Deaf Community and The Odd Gentlemen is an important step in representation. Despite no release date being set, the trailer makes it clear the care that is being put into this game. Within the first few seconds, you can see Melody’s hearing aids and the use of ASL. The ASL is grammatically correct as well, instead of being Signing Exact English (SEE). SEE uses the same signs as ASL, with some additional signs that ASL doesn’t have, and uses the same grammar structure as English.

In terms of representation, Harmonium the Musical seems to have some of the best in recent years. There are multiple Deaf characters, including our main character, and she is also Filipino-American. This is truly a step in the right direction for representation in media, specifically video games.

What do you think? Do you think Harmonium the Musical is a step in the right direction? Or is there more that can be done? Let us know in the comments below or join the conversation on the Boss Rush Discord!

Featured Image: The Odd Gentlemen

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