| 5 star: | | (274) | | 4 star: | | (186) | | 3 star: | | (69) | | 2 star: | | (21) | | 1 star: | | (3) |
| Average Rating: 
Number of Ratings: 554
Write a review |
Previous | << 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 >> | Next | Show All - zylla, May 2, 2012
- EJ, April 30, 2012
- stadtgorilla (Munich, Germany), April 17, 2012
10 of
11 people found the following review helpful:
A Curiosity, But Perhaps Not A Masterpiece, March 24, 2012Play it if: you have a thing for IF that treats itself as a linear story rather than a game, for this is by its very conception one of the least interactive entries into the genre; and if you're big on "emotional" stories in your IF.
Don't play it if: if the line between drama and melodrama is just too fine for you, because Photopia is chock-full of whimsy, abrupt tone shifts, and strongly communicated emotion.
There's very little one can meaningfully say about Photopia that hasn't already been said. This has to be one of the least interactive works of IF in existence - the format is actually used more as a way to give cinematic effects to literature. Most of the time you're doing the equivalent of tapping the SPACE key and moving things along.
What takes the place of interactivity is the weight of narrative: the emphasis is firmly on the "fiction" aspect here, presenting a number of interrelated scenarios revolving around a single subject.
While the concept is interestingly done - and as has been said before, has some historically groundbreaking traits - Photopia leaves me a little cold because the writing, the aspect of this work that's supposed to take up the slack from the interactivity, feels decidedly average.
Don't get me wrong: Cadre's writing is fairly decent, and he can evoke images quite well in his description of things. (Spoiler - click to show)The way the car crash is described from the driver's point of view has details that give the experience a bit of visceral punch. The description of the crystalline maze was also evocative. The problem is that the subject of the narrative (Spoiler - click to show)(Alley) seems to have very little in the way of a genuine arc (Spoiler - click to show)besides just growing up, which reduces the subject's depth and makes the story as a whole feel less fulfilling. (Spoiler - click to show)Of course these things happen, and it's tremendously sad when they do, but it is the work of the storyteller to find solace in lending meaning to these kinds of tragedies. That Alley's death is the kind of awful twist that could happen to any of us is true enough, but as far as meaning goes it's rather mundane. There are also several passages where the writing is at risk of becoming overwrought (Spoiler - click to show)with the passage where Jon asks Alley out feeling overwritten, and the treatment of her curiosity and intelligence making her feel a bit like a Mary Sue character. In particular, the fact that the game wanted me to believe Alley's monologue on Freudian psychology to be a sign of genuine intellectual curiosity - when Freud's model was largely shelved a while before this game was written - really stuck out as an example of Alley being written simply as "smart". The view of the subject is also rather one-sided (Spoiler - click to show)Alley is given little in the way of flaws and as a result does come across as "too perfect".
I can understand why this story made certain readers cry, and I'm not calling them idiots for responding that way. It's just that for me personally, this story won't really stick with me on an emotional level due to the above issues. Ultimately, Photopia is better served by being upheld as an innovation on the IF concept than as a profoundly-written story - but it's still worth your time to play through it, as it offers insight into how IF tools can be used to lend cinematic effect to literature and to tinker with narrative structure.
3 of
7 people found the following review helpful:
Well worth a try!, March 24, 2012The story is catchy and puzzling, you really wants to understand how the different episodes fit together. And in the end the solution is quite clever, even if a bit sad. You might describe it a puzzle-less. But it does have some puzzles and even a maze or two. So puzzle-light might be more correct. Some of the later parts of the game is a bit too illogically and with bad fairytale-feeling. But still a short and easy game well worth a try.
- Narwhal (California), March 11, 2012
- Jizaboz (U.S.A.), March 11, 2012
- Domaknitrix (Virginia), March 6, 2012
- Emerald Rhapsody, March 5, 2012
- Relle Veyér, March 1, 2012
- Bran Rainey (Windsor, Ontario), February 26, 2012
- Hywel Dda, February 11, 2012
- knowyourknot, February 1, 2012
- E.K., January 27, 2012
- Hagbard Celine, January 26, 2012
- [delete this account], January 10, 2012
- Costis, January 2, 2012
- diddlescatter (US), January 1, 2012
- amciek (Opole), December 18, 2011
- Jaxcap (Arizona), December 11, 2011
- Nereare (São Paulo, Brazil), December 10, 2011
2 of
8 people found the following review helpful:
Beautiful, December 6, 2011In a word, this story is simply beautiful. Definitely a tear-jerker. Definitely heart-warming. I call this a story because while there is a puzzle element to it, it is not difficult. One action or just a few actions can quickly lead to the story's progression. This is a good beginner's game, but also one that will leave a lasting imprint on the mind.
- sqbr, November 30, 2011
- Marco Innocenti (Florence, Italy), November 17, 2011
- sunny and mild (South Africa), October 4, 2011
Previous | << 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 >> | Next | Show All | Return to game's main page