I am just back from the 8-Bit Gaming Conference in Dublin & I have to say it was a lot of fun (might even do a review of it in the near future). Even though I am little wrecked after traveling back I really wanted to get my final PC review of this year completed. A short time ago, based on a recommendation, I decided to play the Stanley Parable (created by David Wreden) & being honest I was blown away by it. I was informed recently he had made another game called The Beginners Guide, after enjoying his first game I thought why not give it a try.
Wine Gums are not the most exciting sweets in the world & if I was in a sweet shop (which I regularly am) it would not be my first choice. That being said, I do like them - I consume one or two & think to myself 'yeah these are pretty good' & then proceed to have some more. An entire bag later I think to myself 'damn I forgot how nice these are'. Playing The Beginners Guide I found myself asking was it like a bag of wine gums or is it more like a dip dab (a lollipop you lick & stick into a bag of lemon sherbert) - annoying to eat & generally frustrating?
Story
The game starts with David Wreden narrating the game. He wants to showcase a number of games created by his friend Coda between 2008-2011. None of these games were ever released & according to David, this was due to Coda feeling they were not good enough. David seems concerned about Coda as he seems to have little to no confidence in his work & is also anxiety-ridden. This is the basic premise of the story - David asks that you bear with him & that everything will make sense.
The story feels like David is simply trying to help his friend & hopefully by exposing his work to others it will help him build up his confidence. I can't say too much without spoiling it for you - what I will say is that the story is both interesting & thought-provoking.
Visuals
The graphics are quite varied, Coda's early games are very basic but as the years progress this changes vastly. The best example of this would be the first game you see which is similar to a map from the original Counter-Strike & then a later game about cleaning. The cleaning game is set in a snow covered area & in the centre is a modern house. When I stepped inside I was almost in shock as there was so much detail it really did look & feel, for lack of a better term, real. Initially, I started out feeling the visuals were almost unimportant, but they really are - just not for the normal reasons. I know that statement may sound a little cryptic but it is all part of the experience this game has to offer & as such I am not going to spoil that.
Music
There is not a lot of music in the game which is good because it would only serve as a distraction from David's narration & the story itself. There are a number of atmospheric sounds used throughout Coda's games which are subtle & work well with what you are seeing.
The one standout song is played during the end credits called 'Turn Back' written by Halina Heron & performed by her & Ryan Roth. Halina is a singer-songwriter from Canada, she has released a number of albums & EPs including; Moon Hunter OST, The Yawhg EP OST & Back Then. I really liked The Moon Hunter OST, so much so that I am going to play the game next year because of it.
Ryan Roth also hails from Canada but unlike Halina focuses on very different genres of music, mostly electronic & ambient. He has worked on other albums with Halina along with doing his own solo work including; The Yawhg EP OST, Moon Hunters OST, Good Snowmen Are Hard To Build OST & Shattered Planet OST.
While I do love a good musical score, the absence of one here I would mark as a positive rather than a negative. The game wants you to focus on the story & ensures this happens by not offering you other distractions.
Gameplay
When it comes to games, I love talking about the gameplay. I feel if the gameplay is poor then it is difficult for the other elements to cover for its shortcomings. The reverse is true that if the gameplay is good it can make up for other poorer elements. The gameplay in The Beginners Guide could be described as an interactive story but really, if anything it is more like listening to a film or TV series commentary. David Wreden's narration is powerful & creates an atmosphere like no other I have experienced. The game made me challenge things I had only really thought of in a small way before. I struggled to review the gameplay but after a while, I realised it was because it was more like an emotional, thought-provoking experience than an actual game. Considering how I feel about games this is a rather bold statement for me to make.
In my opinion, the only way you can truly understand The Beginners Guide is to experience it for yourself. While that statement could be used to describe many games, I think after you play this one you will understand what I mean.
Final Thoughts
So after just over 2 hours, how did I feel? Amazed, confused & intrigued. It is very difficult for me to simply sum up my experience of the game like I would others. The most basic way I can describe my time playing it is that I enjoyed it & the biggest recommendation I have would have for anyone reading this is to play it. The time you spend with it will be short but I truly mean it when I say it will be very worthwhile. This is the second game this year I am awarding 5 out of 5
No comments:
Post a Comment