Jordan Chamblee
AFA Journal staff writer
December 2016 – A good story can have incredible impact on everyone. Jesus Himself used storytelling as a primary way to communicate eternal truths. In more recent times, C.S. Lewis’s timeless Narnia series has demonstrated the power of fantasy and fairytale to instill eternal truths in the hearts of children. Children will grow up in a world full of “dragons,” so they need stories that will show them there is a great Knight who specializes in slaying those “dragons.”
One such story comes not bound in the pages of a book, but packaged in an immersive experience put together by “worldbuilder” Tim Cleary. Understanding that today’s children live in an ever increasingly digital age, Cleary created The Aetherlight, an online video game with an engaging story that delivers solid biblical truths and will urge kids to read the Word itself.
Parents will also appreciate the fact that before a child can begin as a player, a parent’s email address is required. Cleary described the world he built for children to explore and how his story serves to highlight a greater biblical narrative.
AFA Journal: Can you give us an overview of the story of The Aetherlight?
Tim Cleary: Players find themselves in a land ruled through a pervasive fog, propaganda, and clockwork armies by a tyrannical, self-declared Emperor. However a resistance is beginning in the back of No Man’s Landing that will see the great engines restored, Aethasia blessed, and the Great Engineer return to his throne!
AFAJ: Can you tell us a little about the lore and characters of The Aetherlight?
TC: Aethasia is a fantastical world. There are documents and even resources that go deep in lore of Aethasia within our studio. One character players will encounter is Emily. Emily is known as a breaker. Breakers, under the rule of the Great Engineer, were responsible for the destruction of anything the Great Engineer hadn’t described as ‘well made.’ Emily’s biblical counterpart, Deborah, is found in the book of Judges.
AFAJ: In any adventure story, there will be a certain amount of peril and even violence. How did you handle those aspects in the game?
TC: In order to connect with tween boys especially, we do have battles. All battles are against Automatons, clockwork enemies. There is no blood and gore, and teams can work together to beat higher-level enemies.
AFAJ: Tell us about specific biblical themes in the game.
TC: The Aetherlight is episodic. This year we’ve seen the story of Abraham, Jacob and Esau – and, before Christmas, we’ll release the story of Joseph in a new episode called “The Resistance Melts Down.” Through these episodes, we seek to unpack the narrative of the Bible.
AFAJ: What is the end goal of The Aetherlight story? What do you hope players come away with?
TC: Ultimately, it’s that players would come away with an understanding of the Bible, as a complete story, with Jesus at the center of every story within that story. That they’d understand they aren’t the heroes of this story, but they are invited to participate with the Great Engineer in the restoration and redemption of humanity! It’s the stories we remember from childhood that we never forget and that shape our worldview and carry us into the things ahead. 
The Aetherlight Bible is a companion Bible to the action-adventure game that invites players to dig deeper into the biblical story, connecting the dots between the world of Aethasia and the greater biblical narrative. The Aetherlight Bible is filled with engaging illustrations from the game set alongside corresponding passages that serve to amplify the message of The Aetherlight in a way that captures the imagination.
Learn more, purchase, and visit the parents site at theaetherlight.com.
