11:45 A Vivid Life is a game that stressed me out and made me anxious before I even started playing it, just from the concept itself. Not only of having this idea that your body is somehow wrong, but also having the tools to actually investigate further.
The atmosphere in this is powerful. There's something about the extremely dark subject matter contrasting with the relatively peaceful (and beautiful!) music and backgrounds. The animations are extremely smooth and the way Laynie poses by each "station" gives her so much character by itself. This whole game just feels like someone acting on their intrusive thoughts and I would be lying if I didn't say that some parts made me a little emotional.
(spoilers ahead)
Actually digging (carving?) into the game, some of the endings and choices certainly hit harder than others. It almost felt like the Johann ending was originally intended to be the main ending, with some of the others being added more as an after thought - mainly because some of the other choices don't give nearly as much information. The alien ending was good, but the sleeper agent/child soldier endings felt a little out of place, but that could have just been due to my own expectations so I can't fault them that much. Ultimately I really appreciated how all of the endings have enough substance to feel like they could be the "true" ending, and how there's just enough leeway for everyone to interpret them differently.
I got the acceptance ending last. After playing through the other endings, and seeing all of the different options, having Laynie finally come to the realization that maybe all of these thoughts were just in her head, that there was never anything "really" wrong with her... It felt the most fitting somehow? Like now that she realizes this she can move on. But, even then, the man from the other endings still shows up. Even in this ending you have a reason to doubt what's really happening.
And that made me realize something on my own, regardless of which ending I got: maybe Laynie does have a few mismatched parts. Maybe some of her bones are not her own. Her scars, her imperfections. Does it really matter whose body this once was? It's her body now, and she is finally in control over it. Our bodies do not make us who we are. Everything will be okay.
I haven't played the game yet, but I was a little freaked out when I discovered the game page and it was 11:45 and didn't know it was the name of the game
I think they are almost all parts of the truth. I don't think she was abused as a child, I think she was "rescued" from a warzone and brought up in the "saviour" country. I think she was abused by Jonan who either was her adoptive parent or her significant other and she is escaping from the hospital after he hit her again and she had a psychotic break. Trying to deal with feeling like nothing about her is "her" she was taken from her home, which may not even exist anymore, has countless injuries from both accidents and abuse, and was raised/lived with an abuser that made her act the way he wants. Without her consent her home was wiped away, her body was changed, and her personality was shaped. Her past present and future were all controlled by someone else and that is why she is having broke down. She has nothing to hold onto in order to steady and anchor herself and so delusion is just as viable as reality when you have no control either way.
I think the figure at the end is Johan. She is desperately trying to escape him but doesn't have anywhere else to go.
I didn't quite understand what was going on with this storyline at first, but after replaying it, it became clear for the most part. I say this because there seems to be different possible endings due to the array of options presented to the player. Think of this game as a quite mini version of Detroit: Become Human or Until Dawn. Overall, I enjoyed the game.
A very thought provoking little game here. I had no idea what I was getting into. The different options to choose from (when recounting what might have happened to Laynie) lead to some very interesting outcomes. Regardless of what information you gather, and what ending you receive; it leaves you wondering what the 'truth' of Laynie's situation may very well be. This is a very profound game when you let your brain explore the themes being presented here.
I talk and theorise a bit more about it in my playthrough. This was very fun to experience and it has left a bit of an impression on me.
Thanks for the great game!I enjoyed the game you created very much.I saw 4 endings.And the story in my own head,First, the main girl was violated by Johan. She was constantly injured because of it. The brain also became abnormal and the girl was paranoid and thought it wasn't her own bones. There was no one to radio to. The girl is delusional. I think Johan is the last one to appear. I thought the line "come back" was the girl's fantasy.Here is what I think is the story of this game. I am sure I am wrong and maybe there is no right answer, but I like games that make me think this way.Thanks for a great game.I'm Japanese, so I'm sorry if my words are strange.
rly interesting game, i loved the X-Ray mechanics and choices on how to interpret the different things inside the body! my take on the story (SPOILERS):
Laynie is a Russian military experiment, made of a collage of different parts, made in a hurry because of war. Her, or rather it's body was recently made (in the past few months), possibly using a child soldier as a base for the construct considering Laynie is still in some sort of school (if I had to guess either high school or even a school for training said experiments). In a way, Laynie has deviated one way or another, since she most likely wasn't supposed to find out her true identity and purpose. The person in the radio + in the end most likely being her handler and/or creator, who has been asking for her to "come home" because they didn't want her finding out the truth. "Home" being wherever she most likely is kept, more than likely somewhere that is a secret to their government, as it's the only home she can remember and/or has left.
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11:45 A Vivid Life is a game that stressed me out and made me anxious before I even started playing it, just from the concept itself. Not only of having this idea that your body is somehow wrong, but also having the tools to actually investigate further.
The atmosphere in this is powerful. There's something about the extremely dark subject matter contrasting with the relatively peaceful (and beautiful!) music and backgrounds. The animations are extremely smooth and the way Laynie poses by each "station" gives her so much character by itself. This whole game just feels like someone acting on their intrusive thoughts and I would be lying if I didn't say that some parts made me a little emotional.
(spoilers ahead)
Actually digging (carving?) into the game, some of the endings and choices certainly hit harder than others. It almost felt like the Johann ending was originally intended to be the main ending, with some of the others being added more as an after thought - mainly because some of the other choices don't give nearly as much information. The alien ending was good, but the sleeper agent/child soldier endings felt a little out of place, but that could have just been due to my own expectations so I can't fault them that much. Ultimately I really appreciated how all of the endings have enough substance to feel like they could be the "true" ending, and how there's just enough leeway for everyone to interpret them differently.
I got the acceptance ending last. After playing through the other endings, and seeing all of the different options, having Laynie finally come to the realization that maybe all of these thoughts were just in her head, that there was never anything "really" wrong with her... It felt the most fitting somehow? Like now that she realizes this she can move on. But, even then, the man from the other endings still shows up. Even in this ending you have a reason to doubt what's really happening.
And that made me realize something on my own, regardless of which ending I got: maybe Laynie does have a few mismatched parts. Maybe some of her bones are not her own. Her scars, her imperfections. Does it really matter whose body this once was? It's her body now, and she is finally in control over it. Our bodies do not make us who we are. Everything will be okay.
I'm ready to go home now.
SK/CZ LET'S PLAY!!!
Pretty interesting game and concept. Keep it up with these kind of games!I haven't played the game yet, but I was a little freaked out when I discovered the game page and it was 11:45 and didn't know it was the name of the game
Creative and unique concept, and my first body-horror experience in a game! Loved it!
Cool concept! I like it
Interesting dialogues and a chill but eerie atmosphere. It's a good experience, nice to see something different.
Was the game made with the gamemaker engine? thanks!
Yes!
I am probably super off base,
I think they are almost all parts of the truth. I don't think she was abused as a child, I think she was "rescued" from a warzone and brought up in the "saviour" country. I think she was abused by Jonan who either was her adoptive parent or her significant other and she is escaping from the hospital after he hit her again and she had a psychotic break. Trying to deal with feeling like nothing about her is "her" she was taken from her home, which may not even exist anymore, has countless injuries from both accidents and abuse, and was raised/lived with an abuser that made her act the way he wants. Without her consent her home was wiped away, her body was changed, and her personality was shaped. Her past present and future were all controlled by someone else and that is why she is having broke down. She has nothing to hold onto in order to steady and anchor herself and so delusion is just as viable as reality when you have no control either way.
I think the figure at the end is Johan. She is desperately trying to escape him but doesn't have anywhere else to go.
The narration and story are very interesting!
I wish there was a way to save progress, had to replay the game every time to see the different endings.
Felt horrible playing it, the words describe things perfectly, thank you
This was a very interesting game, but I think I'm not smart enough to completely comprehend it, lol.
It's body dysphoria + paranoid schizophrenia = the game!
I didn't quite understand what was going on with this storyline at first, but after replaying it, it became clear for the most part. I say this because there seems to be different possible endings due to the array of options presented to the player. Think of this game as a quite mini version of Detroit: Become Human or Until Dawn. Overall, I enjoyed the game.
A very thought provoking little game here. I had no idea what I was getting into. The different options to choose from (when recounting what might have happened to Laynie) lead to some very interesting outcomes. Regardless of what information you gather, and what ending you receive; it leaves you wondering what the 'truth' of Laynie's situation may very well be. This is a very profound game when you let your brain explore the themes being presented here.
I talk and theorise a bit more about it in my playthrough. This was very fun to experience and it has left a bit of an impression on me.
Thanks for the great game!I enjoyed the game you created very much.I saw 4 endings.And the story in my own head,First, the main girl was violated by Johan. She was constantly injured because of it. The brain also became abnormal and the girl was paranoid and thought it wasn't her own bones. There was no one to radio to. The girl is delusional. I think Johan is the last one to appear. I thought the line "come back" was the girl's fantasy.Here is what I think is the story of this game. I am sure I am wrong and maybe there is no right answer, but I like games that make me think this way.Thanks for a great game.I'm Japanese, so I'm sorry if my words are strange.
this is awesome. The x ray mechanics are so sick
Existential crisis...the video game. I loved it
this is a place where reality and delusion collide, where what is and isn't is all decided by your perception.
what is true?
what do you want to be true?
rly interesting game, i loved the X-Ray mechanics and choices on how to interpret the different things inside the body! my take on the story (SPOILERS):
Laynie is a Russian military experiment, made of a collage of different parts, made in a hurry because of war. Her, or rather it's body was recently made (in the past few months), possibly using a child soldier as a base for the construct considering Laynie is still in some sort of school (if I had to guess either high school or even a school for training said experiments). In a way, Laynie has deviated one way or another, since she most likely wasn't supposed to find out her true identity and purpose. The person in the radio + in the end most likely being her handler and/or creator, who has been asking for her to "come home" because they didn't want her finding out the truth. "Home" being wherever she most likely is kept, more than likely somewhere that is a secret to their government, as it's the only home she can remember and/or has left.