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
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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