Just played through this on the back of the
stellar reviews (all the pretentious publications love it, with is as always a good sign
), and it did not disappoint.
You go in to a house (your family's house, but one you're unfamiliar with after a year in Europe), thunder and lightning roaring outside, severe weather warnings on the television. The house is empty, just full of vague hints and clues about where you family might have gone too. There's the strong sense there's something strange, perhaps even really bad going on here...
But the game doesn't take the easy route, and in fact goes in increasingly curious directions as it goes on and you uncover more about the goings-on of your parents and - most importantly - younger sister. It's similar to the likes of Journey or Dear Esther, although does give you more scope to explore even though it is (and needs to be) very linear. The exploration is key, as you uncover a tale of identity, frustration, confusion and riot grrrl music. Lots of riot grrrl music.
It's pretty powerful stuff, the rare game that finds poetry and emotion in the everyday. Sure, a lot of the thematic scope has been covered in other mediums before in more complex ways, but to see a game manage this kind of thing is a pretty rare treat, and the writing is superb at times.
It's available on Steam or a couple of euro cheaper through Humble. Even as a big supporter of short games (Steam registered 101 minutes all in all), 13.50 is a little bit steep, but the quality is undoubtedly there. Whether you play it now or wait for it to drop in price a bit, it is a genuine pleasure.
Between this and Papers, Please, indie gaming and interactive storytelling have had a really, really strong fortnight! Long may it continue.
