*WARNING SPOILERS*
(If you intend on playing the game "one chance" on Newgrounds, and want toe full experience, I'd recommend playing it first.)
I'm really depressed right now. I just played a game called "one chance" in which you are told every cell on earth will die in six days and you only have one chance. I misread the meaning. I spent five of the days trying to find a cure, passing up opportunities to socialize with friends, go out with a girl to "get a drink", or spend time with my family. All I ever did was spend time trying to find a damn cure. People were dying around me, and then my wife killed herself. On the fifth day, I took my daughter to the park, because no child deserves this, to be left alone. She died that day.
On the sixth day I drove into the lab and went to work. Completely fruitless, my character closed his eyes and died, alone, in that lab. The worst thing is they really do mean "you only get one chance" because not only is there no replay button, the internet settings save so you can't even reload the page. It's an incredibly haunting image to reload the game in a different browser and see that still image of your character, alone, given up, dead.
I've never wanted to replay a game so much in my life. I completely misread the design, it wasn't "you have one chance to find a cure", it was "you have one chance to enjoy your life". This is one of the most moving game experiences I've ever had. It wasn't just the idea of only being able to play the game once, or the depressing and disturbing way they drove the narrative, it was deeper than that. It made me realize something about myself.
That's exactly how I would approach the situation, using my last dying gasping breath to find a cure to the madness. This has been what I've always been doing since high school and college. I always told myself I would put my work and my art before socializing or friends or parties or girls; I would scoff at people who would blow off homework in favor of going to a club. But in the end, what will my art bring me? What great answer will it give to the world?
Not to say I'm going to stop making art and start doing keg stands, but this game made me reevaluate the way I look at life. It forced me to bring my workaholic values into question. THAT is a great game. That is the kind of game I want to make. Overall I'd give it a solid 42 out of 43.
So let's see what we've learned:
A) I am now saddened
B) I am jealous and want to make a game as good as this
C) I have to force myself to enjoy life more
This has been kind of rambly without purpose. I just felt the need to write after playing this game. I highly recommend playing it. Don't make the same mistakes I did.
What an interesting game. After reading about your 6 days, I have to admit I got really depressed, too. I would have done the same thing; trying to stop the end from happening. I definitely relate to the whole work vs. play dilemma. I always felt that if you work hard now, there will be plenty of time to play later. However, while you're stuck diligently working, there is a world outside that's still turning and so much that you're missing. I guess the key would be balance.
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way! If you work now, you'll have time (and hopefully money) to play later, but there's always another project I want to do, so yes, balance is key.
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