A new puzzle-adventure game from Saudi Arabia, 'House of Hikmah' (House of Wisdom), is shining a spotlight on the Islamic Golden Age, with its creator believing it could put the Kingdom on the global map of game development.
Background of the Game
Since the launch of the National Gaming and Esports Strategy in 2022 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, numerous Saudi initiatives supported by public and private entities have emerged. 'House of Hikmah' is the first Saudi narrative puzzle game to delve into the history of the Islamic Golden Age, a period of scientific and cultural development from the 8th to the 13th century.
The game is set within the House of Wisdom, inspired by the intellectual hub of that era. It was created by Lunacy Studios, a fully remote gaming studio founded by Saudi creative director Faris Attieh, with team members from the Kingdom and around the world.
Personal Inspiration
Attieh, 33, lived in Los Angeles for eight years pursuing a career in video games but returned home in 2024. He told Arab News that 'House of Hikmah,' released on April 8, is a 3D adventure game blending historical intrigue with a deeply personal story. The game explores grief through the journey of Maya, a young girl during the Islamic Golden Age who loses her father at sea. She travels to the House of Wisdom in search of answers, meeting famous historical scholars and stepping into fantastical worlds built around their work.
The death of Attieh's own father was a catalyst for the project. 'The game is very much inspired by my personal experiences. I lost my dad a few years before we started development, and I drew on that when writing the story and characters. In a lot of ways, making the game was part of how I processed it,' he said.
Features and Scholars
The game features seven historical scholars, including Fatima Al-Fihri, Ibn Sina, Ibn Hayyan, and Ibn Al-Haytham. Each level is built around a scholar's discipline, such as Ibn Al-Haytham's work on optics and light, where puzzles involve bending light. 'Cultural authenticity was very important to us, so we studied their work and led with that,' Attieh added.
The game includes full voice acting in both English and Arabic, with music by Grammy-winning composer Austin Wintory, who recorded with Saudi musicians. It is the first game to explore worlds built around these scholars with puzzles based on their fields of study.
Studio and Industry Impact
Lunacy Studios started during COVID, with a core team of 10 members spread worldwide. Attieh praised the growth of local developers and the support from the Saudi government. 'The growth we're seeing from local developers has been incredibly inspiring. There's also something very motivating about seeing your country directly support your industry,' he said.
Attieh hopes to help grow the Saudi games industry into one as renowned as Montreal's or LA's. 'I'm a firm believer in the expression 'a rising tide lifts all boats.' Studios should always be helping each other if we want the Saudi games industry to grow and thrive,' he added.
