On-the-nose visual metaphor that is almost as funny as the main character's overall design. A 'nothing ventured, nothing gained' type of game - has nothing to say about depression or trauma besides lovingly painted watercolour renditions of the images you get when you Google Image search those words. I wish this was affecting, but it just left me bored and frustrated.

Reviewed on Dec 01, 2020


2 Comments


3 years ago

this game rules because its like this brutish amalgamation of every derisive narrative ideal of the late 2010s and giant squids formulaic game design and it honestly scares me that it exists
furtive minimal opening of placid disempowerment - nonthreatening details gradually come into the world in synchronicity with acquisition of new abilities - encounter with friendly nonverbal being as game world becomes lush/opulent, a sense of playfulness - friendly creature becomes AFRAID due 2 signs of ENTITY and LEAVES - world becomes hostile due to presence of ENTITY, culminates in CHASE sequence/guided setpiece where character FALLS into the DARK ZONE before capture - DARK ZONE is explored, feels hostile and "punishing" but in a quiet low volume way - in dark zone secrets are discovered or vague "truth" accepted - ENTITY appears + CHASE sequence resumes but character WINS/ESCAPES due to previously revealed truth granting inner strength - world continues 2 be "hostile" and character collapses in exhaustion/emotional surrender - at last second THE LIGHT bursts forth from character/world and u explore a kaleidoscopic music video of heaven/enlightenment


-joseph campbell: the collective indie art gaem