Ishmael
Short interactive fiction about displacement and violence through a child's eyes
Jordan Magnuson · Released Dec 10, 2018
- Reviews
- Mixed
- 56% of 101
- Recent reviews
- Not enough recent
- Players
- 0
- daily peak, Oct 29, 2026
- Steam Deck
- Untested
- Last update on Steam
- 7 years ago
- Nov 10, 2018
What is Ishmael?
You read linked text passages with multimedia elements in this free, single-player story about a child facing recurring displacement and violence. A playthrough takes about fifteen minutes.
For you if...
- +you like experimental storytelling with a somber, political focus
Not for you if...
- −you want action-focused gameplay rather than a reading-focused experience
What players say
56% of 101 reviews are positive
Players praise the story's emotional weight and portrayal of war's effects on a child. Critics describe the writing as weak and say there is too little gameplay beyond reading.
Screenshots and trailer
Ishmael system requirements
Minimum: 0.5 GB RAM.
As published by the developer.
Can my PC run Ishmael?
The published requirements do not name a graphics card we can compare.
Set up my PC →Minimum
- OS
- 64-bit Windows OS
- Memory
- 512 MB RAM
Does Ishmael have co-op or multiplayer?
No: single-player only, no multiplayer modes declared.
Does Ishmael run on Steam Deck?
Untested Not yet tested by Valve on Steam Deck.
PC version details
- DRM
- None declared on Steam
- Controller
- Keyboard and mouse
- Platforms
- Windows
- Steam features
- Family Sharing
- Languages
- Full audio: English.
Does Ishmael use AI-generated content?
No AI-generated content is disclosed on the game's Steam page.
Self-reported by the developer under Steam rules: it covers AI content that ships in the game, not tools used to make it. Steam page checked on Oct 27, 2026. How to filter AI games on Steam
