To describe Mo as “stubborn” would be derivative - her psyche is convoluted, and she’s definitely one of the more intriguing videogame characters I’ve encountered in recent memory. Bafflingly, there are many examples where paths are telegraphed in the right way, but maybe a quarter of the time it’s a guessing game - I sometimes had to resort to mashing buttons to find the intended traversable spot in an area.Īs this is a short experience I won’t venture into spoiler territory, but I will say that as our hero slowly fulfills her duties (and they’re so important that she never finds time to equip a life-preserving gas mask) her malfunctioning moral compass becomes more prevalent. Since Mo can traverse only two dimensions, it’s important to know exactly she can climb up or down. Similarly, one notable problem is that Minute of Islands isn’t clear about which parts of the scenery are walkable and which are just window dressing. These tend to be disorienting due to the absence of a map and because of the items’ visual quality of blending in with the environments. All ‘challenge’ comes from the puzzles - connect this contraption with that energy flow, position this ladder here, etc. There’s no combat, time limits or any elaborate button combinations we need to be mindful of. Keeping us company on this adventure is the voice of the narrator, which loosely informs us of Mo’s history, as well of her inner monologue when she is reminded of memories or past events.Īside from walking, jumping and eventually interacting with machines compatible with her rod, there isn’t anything else we do in Minute of Islands. Gameplay consists of navigating these expertly drawn, unsettling landscapes full of things long dead. There’s death and decay everywhere, and nothing is spared - whales washed up onto the beaches become unrecognizable masses of grey meat, with staring, dead eyes, softened bones and detached fins. All around, we see just how powerful this gas is. This poison in the atmosphere is an ominous, thick fog, which can send people into a state of hallucinogen-infused sleep before ultimately killing them after prolonged exposure. Armed with this rod, Mo must visit each of the islands and attempt to restart the fields and purify the surrounding air. To perform her work, she wields a very important, imperial-looking staff, which she uses to gain access to places unreachable to anyone other than her. Mo is the person responsible for maintaining these force fields, and thereby responsible for ensuring the safety of the other inhabitants where this story unfolds. The islands that make up her home are being assaulted by a corrupting gas, and the force fields that keep them safe have been turned off. The 2D hand-drawn world of our hero, Mo, is decaying. This situation is the allegorical center in Minute of Islands. In other words, being an ‘important individual’ sometimes translates to ‘someone who can treat others with impunity’. The other side of this is that it can also became a potent alibi for the abandonment of basic aspects of life, like family connections and the need to cultivate relationships. It’s not just a ‘badge’ that demands respect, it can sometimes morph into a psychological shield - an elevation where we place our presumed societal standing. In fact, being assigned a crucial duty, for some of us, is a dream come true. I think most good people try to become (and remain) productive members of society, and we condition ourselves to be physically and mentally able to perform tasks of various difficulties. WTF Why is it a guessing game to figure out which terrain I can walk on ?! HIGH Unique visuals, both dreamy and nightmarish.
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