Again, the intention is to be vague so that you can enjoy the experience. I’d be lying if I said I got it all, even after the commentaries, but that’s fine.īut truth be told, Strangeland is a pretty grotesque and candid story. As intelligent as you think you are, unless you’re an unknowing subscriber to the Dunning-Kruger effect, there will be so much you’re likely to have missed the first time around. I highly encourage you to listen to this after your first playthrough, as there are so many insights that make you appreciate the game more. Not that I have all this inside information through investigative journalism, but it’s all available in an optional commentary by the artist (Victor), writer (Mark), and programmer, James Spanos, available from the pause menu. Elliot and psychology, there are many personal experiences drawn into the game, as told by the writer of the game, Mark Yohalem. Besides the recurring references to Norse mythology, T.S. Presentation aside, the themes and allegories are fantastic. Similiar tones were found in The Shore – I’m not sure what you call this genre (if anything), but I could listen to it all day. I’ve concluded that I’m a bit of a weirdo as I love this sort of thing and can’t get enough. This is the opposite of the environmental effects such as lighting, the wind and glitch-like effects where the Stranger appears to be losing their mind. It’s a little too janky for my liking, and the perspective goes out of place here and there. Though the visuals truly are striking, I wasn’t that thrilled about the animation style when the Stranger walked around. It’s not entirely fantasy-based, more nightmarish, but I couldn’t fault the artist, or should I say, artiste? Victor Pflug.īest of all, the ambient sounds and Brian Eno-like score are perfection Giger could be the first assumed influence, with the organic looking machinery melded with meat bags, it gave off a vibe of Roger Dean downing absynthe at a Heavy Metal convention, then told some very solemn news. For years, I wanted this game, and to this day, haven’t played it but saw countless screenshots from the magazines at the time (that’s right, kids, the days before the internet). Strangeland is a point and click adventure, and for me, the best way of comparing to any title, at least visually, would be Dark Seed. Additionally, some of the puzzles can be approached in multiple ways. That said, the dialogue is full of hints throughout if you pay attention, but not in the sense that it spoils anything for you. The advice is often terse but to the point. It wasn’t until I sat down to play Strangeland while drinking a beer that I plucked up the ‘courage’ to use the system, as I felt I was cheating. You can’t interact and ask specific questions, but the person on the other side knows what you want. Walk up to the payphone in the ‘hub area’ and dial 0. There is a built-in hint system in the game. Even then, it was something I overlooked and not poorly designed. The only times I got stuck was lighting a torch and a mirror puzzle (which was modified after my second playthrough). The puzzles don’t feel particularly unfair But this is a bittersweet mechanic between a Sierra and LucasArts title where yes, you are dead, but no, it’s not a game over. Strangeland features many characteristics from the point and click genre with its on-screen inventory and the ability to combine items, but one thing that’s a little more old school is dying in the game.
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