Yes, we get it. Skinner box techniques, lack of challenge, and trivial reward structures are bad. This game even managed to exceed the unpleasantness by throwing in enough creepy stupidity at the end that I got really uncomfortable and gave up. You don’t want to be played, game? We’re of a mind!
Is there any chance you might have missed the small amounts of onscreen text in the second half? (The JRPG’s UI text changes there, for example.)
I wouldn’t want to ruin its neat little structure by describing it here, but this came off as a concise little narrative in the end, and not at all dismissible as a pat critique of reward structure nor as a haphazard mishmash of ‘creepy stupidity.’
It also doesn’t seem very audience-hostile to me. It has a story it wants to tell you!
Obviously it’s cool if it’s just not your thing, but I suspect your dismissiveness is based on a misreading of the game, specifically by taking its game-references as its purpose instead of as simply the language it’s speaking through.
In any case, I liked this a bunch. And I might have missed it if not for your acerbic comment. So thanks!
Wow, that was kind of incredible. It went from a little inventory of control schemes, to commentary on violence, to straight-up horror game. Concise and satisfying.
Yes, we get it. Skinner box techniques, lack of challenge, and trivial reward structures are bad. This game even managed to exceed the unpleasantness by throwing in enough creepy stupidity at the end that I got really uncomfortable and gave up. You don’t want to be played, game? We’re of a mind!
Is there any chance you might have missed the small amounts of onscreen text in the second half? (The JRPG’s UI text changes there, for example.)
I wouldn’t want to ruin its neat little structure by describing it here, but this came off as a concise little narrative in the end, and not at all dismissible as a pat critique of reward structure nor as a haphazard mishmash of ‘creepy stupidity.’
It also doesn’t seem very audience-hostile to me. It has a story it wants to tell you!
Obviously it’s cool if it’s just not your thing, but I suspect your dismissiveness is based on a misreading of the game, specifically by taking its game-references as its purpose instead of as simply the language it’s speaking through.
In any case, I liked this a bunch. And I might have missed it if not for your acerbic comment. So thanks!
Wow, that was kind of incredible. It went from a little inventory of control schemes, to commentary on violence, to straight-up horror game. Concise and satisfying.
I feel like there should be more games about gaming addiction.
Kinda makes sense that there aren’t, though.
I’m super glad PoshRaven is getting this attention. Each of his games has been pleasing and excellent.
Aww crap: should read “each of PoshRaven’s games has been…”