if I could turn back time ...
Game Review 019
last day of June
Ovosonico
[August 31st, 2017]
Level of Execution =
over 85% with the simplification of storytelling and the heaviness of emotions
I meant to do more reviews much more frequently and while I didn't live up to my promises (as always ...), I am always striving to be better. We'll see in the future!
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a case for the simple yet effective minimalist journey of grief and acceptance:
My first impression of the game is it is a game for the kids with the simple mechanics and beautiful if simplistic graphics. I wasn't wrong in my assumptions there but after finishing the game month ago, I know there are more than meets the eyes!
There is one simple yet heartbreaking storyline the main protagonist has been burdened with and trying his darnedest to undo this tragedy to the best of his abilities by going through this little neighbourhood and interact with its little residents. The main throughline of his emotional journey is if any of the incidents with the others is any different, it might just create a butterfly effect that would eventually save his partner in the end. How they go with applying this concept into the game mechanics is by letting him relive the day of the incident through each other resident's eyes and decide what they do with their day by going around the neighbourhood and interacting with the other characters as well as the surroundings. Some areas and actions are limited to some and can only be used by a certain character and you have to solve these simple yet delightful puzzles to move on to the next stage.
It is actually quite a laidback experience for me with the combination of the streamlined puzzles and the gorgeous watercolour graphics resulted in a serene journey down the memory lane for each character than turned for the worse in the 'third act' so to speak as the main protagonist's effort begins to unravel at its seams. That's what unique about this game though, having such a simplified walkthrough of the whole game makes you focus on the stories the developer want to tell with the characters' history whether they tie into the main guy's storyline or just alongside or tie into the side characters. Bare in mind that these are all told without any single line of dialogues, using just visual cues and cues to represent the emotional journey all of the characters are going through. You can finish playing in it a single sitting but if you're not even feeling sad at all in the end, you are a monster!
The theme of grief and acceptance surrounding the main character are excellently represented in how his storyline is told while the side characters' own backstories that you can seek out if you so choose shows how important family is in their lives whether longing for someone or remembering someone that's gone just adds to whole experience that would help him (and you) to not be stuck on the past and move on for a better future.
Another game in the same ilk is That Dragon, Cancer, and while both deal with different tragedies, they both are effective tools to understand the emotional rollercoaster for the individuals that are directly dealing with this kind of extreme tragedies in their lives. Stripping down all the inessential superficial covers represented by the lush visuals and the lack of unnecessary dialogues, baring out the raw emotions effectively for us to experience and hopefully understand, being more emphatic and sympathetic in the end for those that experience them in real life.
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+ Positive +
My first impression of the game is it is a game for the kids with the simple mechanics and beautiful if simplistic graphics. I wasn't wrong in my assumptions there but after finishing the game month ago, I know there are more than meets the eyes!There is one simple yet heartbreaking storyline the main protagonist has been burdened with and trying his darnedest to undo this tragedy to the best of his abilities by going through this little neighbourhood and interact with its little residents. The main throughline of his emotional journey is if any of the incidents with the others is any different, it might just create a butterfly effect that would eventually save his partner in the end. How they go with applying this concept into the game mechanics is by letting him relive the day of the incident through each other resident's eyes and decide what they do with their day by going around the neighbourhood and interacting with the other characters as well as the surroundings. Some areas and actions are limited to some and can only be used by a certain character and you have to solve these simple yet delightful puzzles to move on to the next stage.
The theme of grief and acceptance surrounding the main character are excellently represented in how his storyline is told while the side characters' own backstories that you can seek out if you so choose shows how important family is in their lives whether longing for someone or remembering someone that's gone just adds to whole experience that would help him (and you) to not be stuck on the past and move on for a better future.
Another game in the same ilk is That Dragon, Cancer, and while both deal with different tragedies, they both are effective tools to understand the emotional rollercoaster for the individuals that are directly dealing with this kind of extreme tragedies in their lives. Stripping down all the inessential superficial covers represented by the lush visuals and the lack of unnecessary dialogues, baring out the raw emotions effectively for us to experience and hopefully understand, being more emphatic and sympathetic in the end for those that experience them in real life.
simple, mellow yet hearbreaking of a beautiful emotional journey.
? Main contention ?
the lack of any direct storytelling that lets you soak in the atmosphere of the music and visual made you focus on what is told visually to you and what is the intrinsic motives behind them, just like in real life whereby you need to block the unnecessary distractions to see what is underneath it all. that's what I hope you learn out of this anyway.
- Negative -
too simple for some maybe. there are other games out there, right?
? Main contention ?
- Negative -
too simple for some maybe. there are other games out there, right?
(Ovonosico - Murasaki Baby | Genre - Adventure, Family, Narrative, Mute, TPA)
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