ImmorTall
Created by Evan Miller
About 5 - 20 mins
I realise that if I'm not careful, I'm going to end up with a blog that is full of thinky games that sort of leave people confused and a little depressed. Actually that thought makes me pretty cheerful.
"How do you WIN?!?" scream the forums around this particular game. Well you er, don't and that it seems, is the point here.
ImmorTall has been around for a while and unlike the tortured genius and complex existential mechaniss of Infinite Ocean, or vastly researched playability of Oiligarchy. Creator Evan Miller has stumbled upon something profound with a game that only requires the use of your computer's left and right keys.
You are a wormy alien crashed on earth and discovered by a little girl. Her and her brother feed you and you grow much bigger, you then are taken in by her family. All would be calm and peaceful in the forest if it weren't for the rest of humanity, who aren't friendly at all, callously shooting through the family to get at you. But you are big, strong and tall. Big enough to shield others from mortars and bullets, or big enough to try and outrun attacks without protecting the family which nurtured you, or big enough to turn tail and leave the earth behind completely.
There's a quiet and grave dignity about ImmorTall that sets it aside from most games, in fact many will question whether it is a game at all. From the atonal soundtrack and sfx to the slick yet emotive silhouetted graphical style, Immortal is a 3 minute experience that will leave you wondering who the real monsters are. Also it will test your character (as an alien) in terms of how far you are willing to go to protect those you care for. Love - an altogether human concept - is portrayed by an alien with a subtle variety of consequences and endings.
There is a surprising amount of thought in the simple AI personalities ascribed to each of the family, when someone dies certain members will grieve, oblivious in their tears to the danger around them (which is stressful since you may be trying desperately to keep them alive). Other members seem bullheaded and cowardly at the same time, willing to put others in danger but at the first sign of trouble retreating behind other family members.
Many people have come away from this games feeling a little downtrodden and wistful about the human condition. If this is the case with you then welcome to the club; ImmorTall is an experience where it can be said that rather than you playing the game, the game plays you. Sucker :)
Created by Evan Miller
About 5 - 20 mins
"How do you WIN?!?" scream the forums around this particular game. Well you er, don't and that it seems, is the point here.
ImmorTall has been around for a while and unlike the tortured genius and complex existential mechaniss of Infinite Ocean, or vastly researched playability of Oiligarchy. Creator Evan Miller has stumbled upon something profound with a game that only requires the use of your computer's left and right keys.
You are a wormy alien crashed on earth and discovered by a little girl. Her and her brother feed you and you grow much bigger, you then are taken in by her family. All would be calm and peaceful in the forest if it weren't for the rest of humanity, who aren't friendly at all, callously shooting through the family to get at you. But you are big, strong and tall. Big enough to shield others from mortars and bullets, or big enough to try and outrun attacks without protecting the family which nurtured you, or big enough to turn tail and leave the earth behind completely.
There's a quiet and grave dignity about ImmorTall that sets it aside from most games, in fact many will question whether it is a game at all. From the atonal soundtrack and sfx to the slick yet emotive silhouetted graphical style, Immortal is a 3 minute experience that will leave you wondering who the real monsters are. Also it will test your character (as an alien) in terms of how far you are willing to go to protect those you care for. Love - an altogether human concept - is portrayed by an alien with a subtle variety of consequences and endings.
There is a surprising amount of thought in the simple AI personalities ascribed to each of the family, when someone dies certain members will grieve, oblivious in their tears to the danger around them (which is stressful since you may be trying desperately to keep them alive). Other members seem bullheaded and cowardly at the same time, willing to put others in danger but at the first sign of trouble retreating behind other family members.
Many people have come away from this games feeling a little downtrodden and wistful about the human condition. If this is the case with you then welcome to the club; ImmorTall is an experience where it can be said that rather than you playing the game, the game plays you. Sucker :)
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