Emotional Prehistoric Adventure I Mother Uses Symbols To Navigate on Oct. 22

[IBJamon]

Emotional Prehistoric Adventure I Mother Uses Symbols To Navigate on Oct. 22

KYOTO, JAPAN — October 1, 2025 — I Mother, a prehistoric action-adventure told without spoken or written language, created by solo development studio Hell Yeah! and published by indie.io, launches on PC via Steam on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.

In a time before words, players will step into the role of a Neanderthal woman, alone and far from her tribe. Her story unfolds as players navigate a prehistoric world in search of a way home, guided by symbols drawn from archaeological discoveries— believed to be among the first expressions of human communication.

The use of these symbols is inspired by the work of paleoanthropologist Genevieve von Petzinger, whose TED Talk on the origins of symbolic communication highlights humanity’s earliest attempts to record and share meaning. In I Mother, solo developer Adam Buczek transforms these symbols into the foundation of interaction, gradually building significance through association and interpretation.

“After stumbling upon Genevieve’s research, I realised I wasn’t just making a game about a Neanderthal woman,” said Adam Buczek, solo-developer at HellYeah!. “I had, in my hands, the raw materials of a symbolic language that could become her way of speaking to the player—not through dialogue or subtitles, but through shared experience and association. The whole point was to let go and respect the player’s intelligence, letting symbols mean what they mean, not what I say they do.”

This vision shapes the heart of I Mother: an artistic journey of experience and discovery. Players explore the world alongside the Neanderthal woman, learning as she does—with no map, no language, and no certainty. Meaning emerges through careful observation: her sounds and gestures reveal emotions, while the symbols offer guidance and purpose. The game’s unique navigation mimics real mind-mapping techniques, with memory and perception replacing traditional maps to guide the way forward.

Every moment becomes part of the lived experience. Drinking from puddles, hiding from predators, or fleeing into the unknown are not systems to master but moments to inhabit, shaped only by instinct and perception.

Even dreams carry the journey forward. At times, they unfold as shadowed visions that share fragments of knowledge; at others, they become playable trials that echo the day’s events. These moments expand the symbolic journey, deepening the player’s role as interpreter.

The atmosphere is further enriched by a dark ambient soundtrack from Paleowolf, blending tribal drums, ancient instruments, and ritualistic vocals to evoke the raw emotional power of early human existence, capturing the primal rhythms and silent intensity of a time before words.

I Mother navigates a world with primal senses on PC via Steam on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, for $14.99 USD with a 20% launch discount.

For more information, withlist I Mother on Steam, follow developer HellYeah! on X/Twitter and Instagram, and stay up-to-date with their official website.



About Hell Yeah!

Hell Yeah! is the label of Adam Buczek, a solo developer and game designer working out of Kyoto, Japan. After stints as European Creative Lead at Xbox and running Skeleton Crew Studio, Adam decided to go fully indie and make the kind of games only one slightly unhinged human would. His work has already picked up awards along the way—Voyna snagged Gold for Best Strategy at the NYX Awards, and I Mother took home Gold at the INDIGO Design Awards.

About indie.io

indie.io is a publishing team composed of passionate gamers, developers, and media specialists dedicated to accelerating the reception and consumption of indie games. They represent a handful of titles that span across many genres, made by talented creators from across the globe. With more than 40 years of experience in the industry, they offer tools, technical prowess, and strategic vision to elevate games to eyes all around the globe.