I know I already made a post about walking simulators, but this time I just wanted to talk about those 2 I played this weekend. What Remains of Edith Finch and The Beginner's Guide. Wow. I was just blown away by them and how the storytelling kept me wanting for more. They both share a lot : Multiple "gameplay" types, haunting story filled with sadness, but still hopeful, a very present narrator etc. Both left me wondering what the message actually was and kept me thinking a lot even after I stopped playing them. It's what great books or movies do and it just kept reinforcing the notion that videogames ARE a form of art. Anyone agree or not?
Y'know, The Beginner's Guide actually really disappointed me. Funnily enough, The Stanley Parable was one of the first reviews I wrote for GR a few years back, and I gave it a 5 out of 5. I never really "got" The Beginner's Guide, and also reviewed it for GR. I might give it another shot and see if my perspective has changed in these past few years.
I thought it was very targeted at and older audience who lived the same problem as the author. I fought with "addiction" to outside validation and it got me into a downward spiral and I ended up alienating a lot of my friends in the process, so this story resonated with me to my very core. But the fact it narrows down its audience, I totally understand it won't work with just anybody expecting to play a game. It's really just an interactive story after all.
That's a nice video you made there! I love being told a story, but I must admit Dear Esther got kinda boring because it has no gameplay. I thought The Beginner's Guide, even thought it doesn't have much gameplay, was able to keep me interested by having a narrator getting me involved and guiding me.
Thanks! Those videos are always fun to make. Difficult and time consuming, but fun. Yeah Dear Esther was boring. No bones about that. I have The Beginner's Guide but I have yet to play it. I don't particularly fancy playing games on my laptop.