PEGBRJE: Interactivity: The Interactive Experience and WE ARE DOOMED.
Ominous start to the page, huh.
Interactivity: The Interactive Experience is a… game by Aetheric Games, whom some may remember for that terrifying experience earlier called Bonbon. Well, they’re back to make something just as uncomfortable with this literal interactive experience. Players are themselves, visiting an exhibit of sorts named Interactivity. It’s an interactive experience, as luck would have it, that details objects used in the world to interact with things. It covers many of the interactable objects of the world such as levers and valves, and features the greatest invention of them all: the Button.
I don’t know how else to say this, but this game is really hard to explain without completely spoiling everything it is about. I didn’t even figure out what was going on with this title the first time I played through it, as I actually just got to the finish and was promptly sent back to the beginning whilst scratching my head, wondering what was going on. The game revolves completely around solving puzzles based on the exhibits themselves as the pieces, which at first feels as if that is all there is to the game. Each room has a different set of objects, with a lovely narrator giving a history lesson on each one and some fun facts. However, upon arriving at the final exhibit, there’s nothing to actually do but leave. No puzzle, no interactions; just the exhibit, and an exit.
What happens next is a bizarre sequence of events determined by the players actions, that can only be described as reminiscent of games such as Stanley’s Parable; experiences that don’t necessarily stop players from doing things, yet question their actions all the same. I’ve probably said too much already on the topic, since as one expects these games hinge on subversion of expectations and the narrative timing delivered within the game’s space. I will say, however, that just like Bonbon, Interactivity knows how to terrify without doing anything at all. Many sequences of halls would have little to nothing in them but room tones and ambience, some shifting in and out at bizarre times to completely unnerve the player into expecting a jump or a scare. The atmosphere constantly shifts depending on how many times players have completed the game, building this tension constantly with sounds and visuals even if nothing is actually happening. I got scared by a TV screen; I know I’m a scaredy cat in the first place, but still.
Interactivity: The Interactive Experience has ruined the word interactive for me based on the amount of times I’ve read and typed the word. It’s a title that will confuse and daze anyone who plays it while asking bizarre questions subtly through player’s attempts to do what they cannot. How much you can gain is up to you; and within the hour of time it takes to play (give or take), you may find yourself more confused than you started.
WE ARE DOOMED is a twinstick shooter made by Vertex Pop, a solo indie dev out of Toronto collaborating with friends, in this case Ryan Roth for the sound design and Robby Duguay for the soundtrack. Players are a shaped spaceship of sorts destroying polygonal enemies in waves upon waves with a large laser, building up to utilize the greatest asset in the arsenal; an even bigger laser.
As is standard in twin-stick shooters, WE ARE DOOMED uses the left joystick for movement and right joystick for firing the laser. It can be played with mouse and keyboard if players choose to, but I’ve always found it more in the spirit of a twin stick to have, well, two sticks. Enemies come in various sizes and shapes, with general enemies throwing their polygon bodies at the player to injure them. Special enemies vary in purpose with some shooting their own lasers after a delay, or panning enemies to create ‘barrier’ lasers, or even just asteroids. I’m classifying asteroids as part of the enemy force now based on how evil they truly are. If players are able to gain enough pulsing cubes dropped from enemies or randomly spawning in levels, they can activate their SUPERBEAM — which just utterly destroys everything touches, even enemies once impervious to the standard laser.
What I found to be the most enjoyable that WE ARE DOOMED was able to implement was how well the soundscape and visuals conveyed everything players needed to know while playing. There’s no tutorial, players jump immediately into the game to see how far they can go. Those pulsing cubed that charge the SUBERBEAM meter not only pulse to separate them from the other polygons, but also have a little text above them to indicate their purpose. Enemies spawn from little indicators so players don’t accidentally fly into their spawn and lose a life instantly. The music is a chill techno vibe to somewhat offset the hectic action, but I feel it worked.
At the end of the day, WE ARE DOOMED is a solid action title. Unlike the previous title in this blog, I’m not struggling to say much due to spoilers; quite the opposite. Players are informed exactly the style of game and what to expect before they even get into the game, and the first few minutes solidify this feeling immediately. If you want a great twin stick to endlessly loop to, this is a great one to try out.
