An experimental game that is hard to classify in terms of genre. In the game Franz we interact in various ways with the title character, which nestled on our device. The behavior of our charge changes, depending on the ways in which we communicate with her.
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This is damn near a creepypasta game with the implications it seems to provide near the end, and the way it keeps pushing the player into the role of an abuser both seems like projection, given Dybovskiy's past, and also not properly justified by the story. From what I have played, the game essentially has no pay-off. The tamogotchi waiting mechanics are annoying and the gameplay never really progresses, along with the story. I must also point out its lack of reactivity — on multiple occasions, I insisted on going against what the gamr clearly seemed to want and Franz seemed entirely convinced that I had picked the other dialogue option, so the game condescendingly took away my choice entirely. You don't seem to have much say in the story at all, which one would think was the entire point of the game.
Speaking on thematics, this game is pretty deplorable. Its implementation of ARG elements, taking advantage of the haptic features on your smart phone, using text scrawls and push notifications to cox you into getting back in, is admirable. Everything to do with the UI/UX design is good as far as I’m concerned, even great, and the sound design and music are pretty top notch too.
However, for as novel as the game is, none of that matters if the point of the game contradicts the actual game. The themes it attempts to convey are diametrically opposed by the way they’re delivered. Not to mention how tone deaf it feels for Ice-Pick Lodge to put this out, no matter how well-intentioned, after the outing of the company lead’s unsolicited behavior towards minors. Fucked up, and quite frankly disappointing for a studio I otherwise respect.
Context matters and while I wholeheartedly believe that art doesn’t have to reflect the actions or worldviews of the artist behind it, sometimes they can overlap, and this is one such case where it does. Also AI art? Really? C’mon man… Resources pertaining to the subject at hand, if anyone reading wants to know more:
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.resetera.com/threads/nikolay-dybowski-pathologic-2-the-void-has-been-accused-of-preying-on-underage-girls-and-having-relationships-with-students.413229/&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjWw9zg892EAxU5g4QIHSjLAGUQFnoECBkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3AntHHh9PxEzEcEBNqLMGZ
However, for as novel as the game is, none of that matters if the point of the game contradicts the actual game. The themes it attempts to convey are diametrically opposed by the way they’re delivered. Not to mention how tone deaf it feels for Ice-Pick Lodge to put this out, no matter how well-intentioned, after the outing of the company lead’s unsolicited behavior towards minors. Fucked up, and quite frankly disappointing for a studio I otherwise respect.
Context matters and while I wholeheartedly believe that art doesn’t have to reflect the actions or worldviews of the artist behind it, sometimes they can overlap, and this is one such case where it does. Also AI art? Really? C’mon man… Resources pertaining to the subject at hand, if anyone reading wants to know more:
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.resetera.com/threads/nikolay-dybowski-pathologic-2-the-void-has-been-accused-of-preying-on-underage-girls-and-having-relationships-with-students.413229/&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjWw9zg892EAxU5g4QIHSjLAGUQFnoECBkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3AntHHh9PxEzEcEBNqLMGZ
This review contains spoilers
the game allegedly got a story update, so i gave it another shot.
i like the visuals (except for franz herself... and the AI art), the sound design is not bad, and looking at the concept and concept art - it could have been a very interesting game.
instead its a game where you become an "owner" of a little girlthing, who is supposed to be very scary, but actually looks like a weird pale potato and talks in almost unintelligible baby talk. her previous "owner" talks to you and berates her, saying shes ugly, she needs to be hurt to learn her place and evolve, and other such nonsense.
then the game brings up a donation and review screen as a mandatory part of progression. the options to refuse donation or exit out of the review are almost obscured.
throughout, you have to pet or beat franz (your choice) and spy on her thoughts. sometimes you can say things to her, the two options being very clearly mean or nice. sometimes she says mean or nice things to you. she laments that she wants to be free and all her other owners treated her badly, and you will too. other than the few times the game kicks you out, the gameplay consists mostly of waiting in the app for a long while and then scrolling to click a single sentence, rinse and repeat. its a lot to wait without doing literally anything.
when i was almost at the end of the game, i got messages warning me to delete her while i still can, to break the cycle, to get out. but she was not scary at all, with all that baby talk and repeated dialogue. all i did was rub the screen and all she did was call me a wimp for it sometimes.
then i reached the end of the game. my phone camera turned on, and then.... nothing happened. apparently, the other ending is just a black screen. credits showed up.
whatever this game is trying to go for, i dont get it. its just ridiculous. every time i got a notification from it and opened the game, i was just waiting for it to kick me out again. im a huge fan of pathologic and the void, and not only did i not care for this game - it was disappointing on multiple levels. i feel like i wasted my time. i also saw no story update or anything new (except that now the donation option is now also in the menu).
and addressing the elephant in the room, making a game about abusing and demonizing a childish girl, considering certain allegations, is not a good look.
i like the visuals (except for franz herself... and the AI art), the sound design is not bad, and looking at the concept and concept art - it could have been a very interesting game.
instead its a game where you become an "owner" of a little girlthing, who is supposed to be very scary, but actually looks like a weird pale potato and talks in almost unintelligible baby talk. her previous "owner" talks to you and berates her, saying shes ugly, she needs to be hurt to learn her place and evolve, and other such nonsense.
then the game brings up a donation and review screen as a mandatory part of progression. the options to refuse donation or exit out of the review are almost obscured.
throughout, you have to pet or beat franz (your choice) and spy on her thoughts. sometimes you can say things to her, the two options being very clearly mean or nice. sometimes she says mean or nice things to you. she laments that she wants to be free and all her other owners treated her badly, and you will too. other than the few times the game kicks you out, the gameplay consists mostly of waiting in the app for a long while and then scrolling to click a single sentence, rinse and repeat. its a lot to wait without doing literally anything.
when i was almost at the end of the game, i got messages warning me to delete her while i still can, to break the cycle, to get out. but she was not scary at all, with all that baby talk and repeated dialogue. all i did was rub the screen and all she did was call me a wimp for it sometimes.
then i reached the end of the game. my phone camera turned on, and then.... nothing happened. apparently, the other ending is just a black screen. credits showed up.
whatever this game is trying to go for, i dont get it. its just ridiculous. every time i got a notification from it and opened the game, i was just waiting for it to kick me out again. im a huge fan of pathologic and the void, and not only did i not care for this game - it was disappointing on multiple levels. i feel like i wasted my time. i also saw no story update or anything new (except that now the donation option is now also in the menu).
and addressing the elephant in the room, making a game about abusing and demonizing a childish girl, considering certain allegations, is not a good look.
Ладно то что игра пускает пыль в глаза, но плохо тут довольно то, что игра рудиментарна в своём исполнении. То есть, технически 'Франц' даже ниже уровня каких-нибудь флеш-игр по типу "Нажми кнопку для приколов".
P. S. Where is fuckin' Nasway Wars 2, Ledorub'i?!
P. S. Where is fuckin' Nasway Wars 2, Ledorub'i?!
This sure is an Ice-Pick Lodge game, no doubt there
salad fingers jumpscare
imagine if you will being outed as a predator then making a game about a immature girl being manipulative and childish with grooming and power play as a treat on top. Game even starts with Franz declaring that you haven't deleted your 'dirty' photos, I don't know if anybody can stomach this disgusting piece of whatever the fuck this is.
imagine if you will being outed as a predator then making a game about a immature girl being manipulative and childish with grooming and power play as a treat on top. Game even starts with Franz declaring that you haven't deleted your 'dirty' photos, I don't know if anybody can stomach this disgusting piece of whatever the fuck this is.