"A strange thrumming then, not in the air or ears. Sensed dully in a way that I'd never felt before..." Penrose is a non-linear narrative by doublespeak games. Scroll forwards and backwards through an ever-changing story. Manipulate the environment, explore every possibility, and unravel the mystery at the heart of everything...
Released on
Genres
Reviews View More
Maybe I'm just dumb.
I found the Penrose narrative quite hard and nebulous to follow. It wasn't just because of the gameplay nature. I think the commitment to the gimmick meant they had to keep it too floaty and not grounded enough. I'd rather it was more branching story choice than it was uncovering tangled timelines.
And again, maybe I'm just too dumb to follow it. I did really enjoy the gameplay schtick. A lot. The clicking words to change story threads, switching perspectives between characters. It was super cool to watch the story wind and weave live. The music and sounds were pleasing, the story was generally well-written and engaging even if it was hard to follow. It's also dirt cheap. I'd certainly peek at the next game from doublespeak.
I found the Penrose narrative quite hard and nebulous to follow. It wasn't just because of the gameplay nature. I think the commitment to the gimmick meant they had to keep it too floaty and not grounded enough. I'd rather it was more branching story choice than it was uncovering tangled timelines.
And again, maybe I'm just too dumb to follow it. I did really enjoy the gameplay schtick. A lot. The clicking words to change story threads, switching perspectives between characters. It was super cool to watch the story wind and weave live. The music and sounds were pleasing, the story was generally well-written and engaging even if it was hard to follow. It's also dirt cheap. I'd certainly peek at the next game from doublespeak.
If you're not looking for something special, it can be rare to find something that feels deeply personal. Penrose is deeply personal, a tale of understanding the world as seen through its two creators, Michael and the mysterious VANCORVID (the former providing the narrative and the latter the music and sound).
The game is brief, clocking in at only a 2-3 hours of playtime depending on your reading speed, however it's going to stick with me for a good long while beyond that.
The game is brief, clocking in at only a 2-3 hours of playtime depending on your reading speed, however it's going to stick with me for a good long while beyond that.