I'm back (as promised) to share my experiences with Virginia (2016) - the winner of the BAFTA Games Award for Music (2017).
Though a short game (took me a little over 2 hours to complete), this is not one for people who want to spend an afternoon having fun. It's complex and mind-boggling, with some extremely well-crafted sequences; just as puzzling in the end as it's easy to play. The last time I got so perplexed was when I watched Mulholland Drive.
Games like Virginia are often dubbed as 'walking simulators' as there is nothing to do but control your character and watch the story unfold. Virginia accomplishes this in a beautiful, subtle way, with more revealed about the characters through their actions and their environment rather than long, scripted cutscenes as in most other games. The game deals with themes of a missing-persons case, betrayal and (I think) delusions. You'll get it when you play Virginia.
I had this thought as the ending played out before me - had this been a film, it would surely have won lots of praise and approval. However, most people bypass Virginia because it is a game - one rated 6/10 on Steam. That, in my opinion, is under-appreciation for a game of such depth.
Overall, it was an amazing, baffling experience. The graphics are, well, not bad. The music is truly perfect, especially for the ending sequence. And the story - decide for yourself.
And if you cannot get enough of this genre, there are lots of movies out there which can give you an equally baffling piece of entertainment.
Next time, The Walking Dead Season 1 (yes, that's a game; if you're here, you probably know).
Though a short game (took me a little over 2 hours to complete), this is not one for people who want to spend an afternoon having fun. It's complex and mind-boggling, with some extremely well-crafted sequences; just as puzzling in the end as it's easy to play. The last time I got so perplexed was when I watched Mulholland Drive.
Games like Virginia are often dubbed as 'walking simulators' as there is nothing to do but control your character and watch the story unfold. Virginia accomplishes this in a beautiful, subtle way, with more revealed about the characters through their actions and their environment rather than long, scripted cutscenes as in most other games. The game deals with themes of a missing-persons case, betrayal and (I think) delusions. You'll get it when you play Virginia.
I had this thought as the ending played out before me - had this been a film, it would surely have won lots of praise and approval. However, most people bypass Virginia because it is a game - one rated 6/10 on Steam. That, in my opinion, is under-appreciation for a game of such depth.
Overall, it was an amazing, baffling experience. The graphics are, well, not bad. The music is truly perfect, especially for the ending sequence. And the story - decide for yourself.
And if you cannot get enough of this genre, there are lots of movies out there which can give you an equally baffling piece of entertainment.
Next time, The Walking Dead Season 1 (yes, that's a game; if you're here, you probably know).
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