This week, Adam told us about a few Alumni games that had a good scope. The 2 he recommended are Portage and Denizen. I saw a 3D game with a similar “cutesy” aesthetic to mine, called “Drifting Beyond”, which also piqued my interest.
Since my game is 2.5D, I wanted to compare it to a 3D game and a 2D game that have good gameplay and scope in the time they were created. My final decisions were Denizen and Drifting Beyond.
Denizen
Genre: 2D Puzzle Platformer
Short Description of the events: You play as a Citizen who awakens your companion. The first scene is a citizen outcast from society, named Trickster, because of their lack of a companion. You can use your companion to traverse the lonely landscape of the world. Everyone treats you and your companion with kindness and respect. During one of these puzzles, you fall through the floor, losing your companion in the process. You are made to go through the same passages that you went through, but by yourself. People treat you differently, tell you that you shouldn’t go that way, you’ll get lost/die/not make it. Eventually, you do, and you find your way back to the start, where the Trickster and your companion are waiting for you. There is one crucial choice to make at the end: let the Trickster stay with you or leave them.
Why I chose to review this game: I had seen it around the arcades on the machine, and Adam told us the gameplay was less than 20 minutes. I think this is perfect for the scope I wanted to aim for.
What aspects did I like about it:
- The cardboard cutout aesthetic for the game. It feels homely yet solemn, which is fitting for the type of subjects this game tackles.
- The allegory for homelessness. The change in behaviour that the citizens exhibit when you are without a companion is very obvious compared to when you do have a companion. In fact, the Trickster at the beginning directly says they do not talk to him because of this. This could be compared to unhoused people, those who do not have the means to acquire a house, get clean clothes or food. People may treat them as beggars, like the first person.
- The simple yet effective dialogue. The characters are not really that relevant, but their actions are. Their tune changes when you are without a companion to one of flippance and annoyance.
What can I learn from it?
- A successful game doesn’t need a supermassive underlying plot; it could just have a problem that is hinted at in different points of the game. This is important for me to hear if we end up scoping down on the game and story, because at the end of the day, I want a playable game with a decent story.
- Simple aesthetics can make a game’s purpose clear, depending on what you’re going for.
- Dialogue can change how you view characters. In this case, the Tricksters’ dialogue makes them a very sincere and sweet characters that the player is inclined to help out of their situation.
Drifting Beyond
Genre: 3D Exploration game
Short Description of the events: You are a young nomadic explorer travelling through vast and beautiful landscapes. Take photographs of the ruins, animals and foliage and find out more about this land.
Why I chose to review this game: I saw it on the wsagames.com page, and it really caught my eye with the visuals. I knew I needed to play it!
What aspects did I like about it:
- The visuals!!! I love the way the foliage moves, the trees, the animals, and the overall general aesthetic of the game. It’s very peaceful, along with the changing skybox to simulate times of day, and the music.
- The visuals pulled me in, but the gameplay made me stay and want to explore. I feel like these two focal points of the game go hand in hand. I love that the photos you take of the surroundings actually save within the game and go to your photobook. It immerses the player in this experience and incentivises them to keep taking photos.
- The lore. I love that it’s an integral part of the game since I want to do a lore-filled game. More information about the creatures drops as you discover them and take a photo.
What can I learn from it?
- A strong visual style can draw initial players into your game and encourage them to play it. Before a player even judges the gameplay, they tend to judge the style and quality. In my case, we are going for a strong fantasy and childlike art style that we hope will resonate with the player.
- The Photograph mechanic is a really great way to include the player more in the world. With my game, I am hoping we can code in something that saves the art you do onto the characters and the world.
- The interesting lore prompts the player to keep exploring. In my game, I should make sure to make sure the narrative is strong, like in Drifting Beyond. For example, small descriptions of objects when you hover near them help the player to discover the lore in between minigames.
