Thursday 29 August 2013

Opinion: Thomas Was Alone

Thomas Was Alone is an indie platforming puzzle game made by Mike Bithell. Billed as 'A game about friendship and jumping', what appears to start as a simplistic game about a rectangle becomes a absorbing game about an assorted crew of rectangles full of character.


Before I get into the characters, I should mention what an amazing job Danny Wallace does as the narrator of the game (check out the trailer at the bottom of the post for a sample). He's the only voice in the game, delivering the character's thoughts to the player in third person, whilst advancing the plot of the game from level to level. Each level has narration accompanying it, the writing is consistently great throughout, making what could be considered mundane levels with little detail feel worth navigating, whilst imparting character to the shapes you control.

So, you start out as a red rectangle named Thomas, able to navigate through levels by jumping over obstacles in search of an exit hole. This is the main mechanic of the game; steer shapes through levels, jump and find exits. Soon enough you meet a small squat orange square by the name of Chris. As a diminutive square that can't jump very high, Chris has something of a complex about his lack of mobility compared to Thomas, jealous of his comparative sprightliness. You swap between Thomas and Chris, using the two characters as boosters for jumps or to press buttons, allowing each of them to reach their respective exits.


The game continues in this fashion, introducing more and more characters, like Claire, the giant blue square who discovers she can float in water and starts to believe herself to actually be a superhero, blessed with a power and the responsibilities that come with it. Then there's James, the socially awkward green rectangle who happens to disobey the laws of gravity and feels like he doesn't quite fit in. There are more characters, each with an interesting and flawed personality that fits their 'ability', each has their thoughts shared through the narrator, building up an empathy with the player and becoming more than just simple shapes in a simple puzzle game.

The story is divided into chapters, each starting with a quote that frames the narrative of the chapter. These imply that the story we're playing through is occurring within a computer and that the events have great significance. The plot has a surprising amount of power considering you are just moving little shapes around to find exit holes, with each chapter being sewn through with character development, plot twists and a dash of suspense.



The overall plot arc is enhanced by the beautiful music. Composed by David Housden, it's a laid-back instrumental affair with a slight chip-tune edge that perfectly complements the game. It builds gradually in energy towards the end of the game, imparting a feeling of hope that, when combined with Danny Wallace's narration of the characters, really captures the feeling of an epic story playing out.

Whilst a very simplistic game overall, the puzzles never really become very tricky, I'd argue that the game isn't about the puzzles at all. It's about the experience. The strange and silly and captivating story of a little rectangle called Thomas, and the others who come to follow him. And strange as it seems, by the end of the game, I actually really cared about them and the adventure they embarked on.


Thomas Was Alone is avaiable on PC and Mac through Steam or direct through Mike Bithell's site (where you can also grab a demo of the game). It's also available on PS3 and Vita through the PSN store.

Sunday 18 August 2013

Opinion: Gone Home

 
Gone Home is an 'Interactive Exploration Simulator', which sells itself with 'no combat, no puzzles'. It's an unusual approach for a game, one that could be a bit of a hard sell to some, but it's definitely worth your time if you have any interest in a good story. The game is slow and pretty short; I finished it in about 3 hours, although I pored over each room and looked at every item (something I'd recommend, so you get the most out of the story and the experience). But what you have here is quality over quantity, a condensed experience that doesn't overstay its welcome and packs a punch with a well told narrative.

The game is set in 1995, it sees you returning home to your parents house after some time travelling across Europe. The house seems empty and there's a storm raging outside. A note from your sister begs you not to 'go digging around to find where I am', hinting at some larger mystery in play.

Whilst there is little 'gameplay' here, the game world itself is full of environmental storytelling. You'll be so busy snooping about, reading discarded notes, postcards, diaries and listening to cassette tapes you find in drawers that before you realise you're drawn in. Occasionally you'll find something particularly relevant and you'll be rewarded with a spoken 'journal entry' from your sister Sam, detailing certain events and moments from her life and their relevance. These aren't to be understated, these slowly form a very empathetic core for the story that pulls you through the game.


The characters in the game, notably your mother and father and your sister, all feel very real despite their lack of actual physical presence, thanks to the attention to detail within the environment. To take just one example from the game (so as not to spoil anything major), your father appears to be a struggling writer. He's lacking in confidence, his study has inspirational notes to himself to spur him on. The typewriter on his desk holds a partially complete review of a stereo system, whilst the bin nearby has crumpled up and discarded openings to his next story. Elsewhere in the house a copy of his first book lies tucked away carefully, stuck to back is a condescending note from his own father detailing his disappointment in what his son has written. The note scorns his use of science fiction, stating that he can 'do better'. The fact he has written this mantra on his noticeboard infront of his typewriter shows how this feedback struck him hard. This is just one little moment from many that weave together, building up layers to create a crossing narrative of lives, personal and flawed and raw.


Something I found particularly interesting is how Gone Home felt at moments that it was going to fall back on various video game tropes... The dark and stormy night, the flickering lights, the creaking house, hints of the occult. There are notes detailing potential spiritual activity in the house, there are many letters and diary entries that fill out the history of the house and rumours of a psychotic lineage that leave you half expecting to see something flitting across the doorways, or to hear someone approaching as you pore over old journals in the attic... but the game and the story it tells is much more human than that. I'd say it was mature, but that is not meant to be derogatory to other games, but is just to say that this game deals with sensitive subjects in way that doesn't need to fall back on anything else to communicate how powerful the events of real lives can be. There is a simplistic and honest story here, your own expectations for something beyond the mundane are constantly pulled back to earth, but in a way that I found invigorating.

Whilst the game closest in style would probably be Dear Esther, especially in terms of gameplay (exploration without much interaction), Gone Home is a much more transparent story, and much more immediately powerful one too. One that creeps up on you piece by piece until suddenly you realise you're crying, or at least I was. On a personal level I found a lot to relate to in the story, and I suspect it's one that will have a lot of impact and relevance to a great number of people.

If you're looking for something with a big twist, this isn't it. There's nothing supernatural here, nothing shocking or sinister, nothing out of this world. But what is here is a simple but potent story about family and love and heartache. It's one that is told with honesty and in a way that feels real. It's this element of reality that grounds the game and gives it its power.

Gone Home is available on Steam and direct through The Fullbright Company's website.

Saturday 3 August 2013

Currently Funding: Gods Will Be Watching

Currently Funding provides a look at games that are in the process of running a crowdfunding initiative.

Gods Will Be Watching by Deconstructeam

Funding Target: 8,000
16th July to 15th August 2013 on IndieGoGo
PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android




Gods Will Be Watching is a survival point 'n' click pixel art adventure. Originally conceived during a game jam, Gods Will Be Watching is an endeavor to expand the game into a fuller experience with new scenarios, animations and options.

In the original prototype (playable for free here) the player takes control of the leader of a group marooned on a distant planet, their only hope of survival lies in repairing their broken radio and scraping together food, medicine and firewood until another ship passes in range.


Each member of the group has a morale level that drops over time, with events and your actions influencing their fragile state further. Whilst the gameplay is relatively simple and minimalist, the decisions you are faced with, combined with the pixel-art and the effective soundtrack, work together to conjure up something that feels worthy of your time and is greater than the sum of its parts. The game manages to pass between being quirky and haunting. You will face some tough decisions when food, medicine and morale starts running low.

The demo can be over in a matter of minutes, yet it had me playing for a number of hours trying to figure out an effective strategy to survive the 40 days on the harsh planet... and going to some dark places on some of those attempts in the name of survival.


The larger game being funded by the IndieGoGo campaign promises 6 expanded scenarios, along with animations for each action you choose. One stretch goal already hit has brought in unlockable cinematics, with future stretch goals promising a free DLC in the future, and another for English voice acting.

Deconstructeam is aiming for a February 2014 release.

Check out their website, their Facebook and Twitter.
The IndieGoGo campaign is available here.