On one hand this game is a truly epic (in the sense that word was meant to describe things before the internet) adventure, filled with crazy ass scenarios, designs and music, the cover here in backloggd alone tells the potential player what awaits for them there. Charisma is a word that we tend to overuse as a non descriptor of sorts when we’re out of words and want to describe something fun, and confident, and electric, but damn it, it does apply here. It’s all harmless and self conscious adolescent angst, always vibrant and absurd.
On the other hand is this sadist whiplash simulator that hates you and wants to see you suffer and fail. The mechanics are either poorly calibrated or purposeful spiteful; every time you miss a note, if there’s another one close to that, you’ll miss a second time, because you lose control of the… controller for a fraction of a second and your rhythm thingy in the middle of the screen returns to its default position, and also the notes that attack you when you’re on the defense mode seem to accelerate slightly and erratically when they’re near you. It’s all very frustrating! And that’s not so bad, I guess, games can be frustrating and good, even if for some moments (for example THE SHARK) this resembles more to those “unfair platformers” that were popular for a second fifteen years ago than what you think when you hear “tough but fair!”
The thing is, I don’t know if these two facets can reconcile with one another. Some people would even go as far as to call it ludonarrative dissonance because a game that’s all about becoming more confident with oneself and it’s all funny and cute feels like it shouldn’t be this fucking hard. If you are good at this game I envy you, for real, the vibes are immaculate.
On the other hand is this sadist whiplash simulator that hates you and wants to see you suffer and fail. The mechanics are either poorly calibrated or purposeful spiteful; every time you miss a note, if there’s another one close to that, you’ll miss a second time, because you lose control of the… controller for a fraction of a second and your rhythm thingy in the middle of the screen returns to its default position, and also the notes that attack you when you’re on the defense mode seem to accelerate slightly and erratically when they’re near you. It’s all very frustrating! And that’s not so bad, I guess, games can be frustrating and good, even if for some moments (for example THE SHARK) this resembles more to those “unfair platformers” that were popular for a second fifteen years ago than what you think when you hear “tough but fair!”
The thing is, I don’t know if these two facets can reconcile with one another. Some people would even go as far as to call it ludonarrative dissonance because a game that’s all about becoming more confident with oneself and it’s all funny and cute feels like it shouldn’t be this fucking hard. If you are good at this game I envy you, for real, the vibes are immaculate.