Now here's a game I really wanted to love. Even bought it on release late last year, but like a lot of games just didn't play it then for whatever reason. It's just been sitting there in my Switch library, waiting to be played for a few months. Now that I finally have played it... man, what a disappointment.

GOODBYE WORLD, for those who don't know, is a very story focused game with a few platforming segments (which are supposed to be the game the protagonists are developing throughout the story) thrown in between the cutscenes, and it is not a game without any merits. The picture I'm using here is for some reason extremely compressed, but when actually playing, the pixel art with the soft filter over it is very pleasing to the eye, and the animations do give the few characters involved in the story some distinct quirks. If you've ever had any interest in creating anything, or honestly just an interest in the arts in general, the overall plot about how long one can chase after their dreams before giving up, and what really drives one to want to create something do hit home at times, as does some of the dialogue which can hit uncomfortably close to home.

What's so frustrating is that these good parts are really good, but the writing as a whole really lets the game down. The fact that it's just under an hour and a half shouldn't be an issue since it's basically just telling a story with almost no actual gameplay and ~90 minutes for that, but it wastes so much of that time for some bizarre reason doing flashbacks to things I've just seen in the game and really don't need to be reminded of, and while some of the dialogue absolutely does hit, but it felt like the writer had basically one idea about anxiety and being an indie game developer, but couldn't really find a way to make a whole game out of it so a lot of the scenes feel like repeats of ones I've watched, just with a few words replaced but with the same meaning behind it all. It's not terrible, but feels like the topic could have been explored a bit more.

What is terrible, though, is the game's ending. I truly do not know what went through the writer's (and I think this game was developed by one person, so also the developer) head when thinking it up. First of all, it ends on a terrible fake-out ending that would be way too drastic to work at all within this story, but then it pivots after the credits where it's revealed to be a joke, and I just... I get so tired, because I no longer know what's sincere in this story and what isn't. Like, there's no noticeable distinction between the ending and the rest of the game, so is it all not meant to be taken seriously? Is it just a parody of what the developer perceives as "deep" indie games of recent years that tackle similar issues around mental health and the human condition? I honestly don't know, but as it is in this very cryptic nature in which it is presented, it leaves a very bad aftertaste and really lowers my appreciation of what was otherwise a game with good intentions, but that maybe could have felt more like it wasn't a first draft. Too bad, but it is what it is.

The little 8-bit puzzle game was pretty fun though, and surprisingly difficult. Probably could have played a separate game that's just those stages.

I umm loved that to be honest and reallly reallllyyyy needed something like this right now, it's kinda opened my eyes to my own issues with how i view my creative pursuits, i think it gave a pretty realistic take on how going from pursuing something out of passion and love to then doing it just to make whatever would appeal to the widest audience can really tear down creative partnerships and tear down you as a person, because you're probably aware you're not doing it out of fun anymore but you've spent so long pursuing it, how can you just give up now, even if you hate every second of it.

It's kinda opened my eyes to how i've been following old creative passions from my childhood recently with the constant thought running through my mind of "wellll,,,, i like this but i sure as hell know others wont." then that thought just gets overwhelming, trying to uphold yourself to extremely unrealistic standards instead of just doing it out of fun, love and passion.
umm yeah thats enough rambling im tired this probably doesnt make much sense

ALSO
end credits is "Walking in My Sleep" by Noa Mal abbba... think ive found a new favourite artist adjkfkadf

(Quick little gameplay note here: I haaaaate hate HATED the puzzle sections. I couldn't beat them. They were so hard it drove me crazy. I died as soon as possible to each one in order to move on.)

It's difficult for me to engage with media about the creation of art sometimes. For the entirety of my relationship history, stretching back all the way to High School I have been the non-artist girlfriend to artist partners (my present-and-forever marriage being the sole exception; neither of us are artists).

In my experience, one can create art with being an artist, but it's a distinction I only really draw myself. Those who are like, capital A Artists--like our gal Kuni in this game--fit this mold of always missing the forest for the trees. They become entirely consumed. In writing parlance, they leave too much of themselves on the page.

Far be it from me to tell an artist how much or little of themselves to put into their work, but for those of us who are around and loving those artists, it can be torturous. I've been Kuma my entire life. I've watched loved ones work themselves to death and judge themselves to death and ruin relationships and push people away.

It's hard. I'm glad these two were able to work it out. I'm glad Kuni found her joy again.

Simple, short, and very effective in conveying the message it wants to. The platforming spikes starting in world 2 and the final level of 3 is almost impossible to beat with only 3 lives on your normal playthrough - but these levels symbolize the struggle the characters had with game development (one of the levels is literally Mario 1-1), so I can let it slide. I could nitpick the flashback and the "twist" if I really want to, but I think it's a fine game and was pretty fun and emotional to go through.

Pretty short n sweet game. The actual puzzles were surprisingly well designed and I had a few light bulbs shining in my head on a level or two when I figured out what I needed to do. You can skip them if they're not to your liking though.

Besides that it was a pretty relatable story for aspiring creators. The sound design is also great too.

I don't think the average person would get much out of this outside just thinking its cute and/or sad. Not in a dismissive or pretentious way either, it just feels like the kind of story that's made for a specific kind of person rather than something people can broadly relate to outside some general things, which I can appreciate.

I resonated with both of the protagonists for different reasons and I was just like the pensive emoji being all like "Damn...".

The ending I could see making a few eyes roll, in particular the after credits scene, but to me it just felt like it was winking at the audience this game was made for. Especially because what it pertained to was the kind of stuff a lot of struggling creators contemplate/come up with.

But yeah overall this game was pretty good. I beat it in a sitting and was thoroughly engaged. I'd recommend it if you're an indie artist/programmer who's still just tryna make do in this world.

I don't think you can replicate the emotional honesty and sincerity presented in a lot of independent video games, they feel too personal that no one but the person who created it, can create that same experience. GOODBYE WORLD is one of those games.

Though I feel like if I just left it at that, you're going to take this as "Buy this game now." So instead I'll say this, it's a two hour visual novel separated by puzzle mini games across 13 scenes, decide if you want to buy it or not.

I personally enjoyed it a lot, and believe the way this game was presented only enhanced my experience, but it's hard to speak further as, it is one of those games, you best go into blind.

I think as a game, it is not exactly great, so it's hard to rate it very highly in the game sense, you are largely just engaged in a story with a side game called Blocks that's enjoyable, but very short and simple. I hated the lava stages!! You can also beat the game in about an hour or two, and the pricetag is a bit hefty for that...

But as a story, I think it's really nice. It is clearly meant moreso for those in creative spheres, which I am not a part of, but always value as an outsider looking in. I think this kind of game is probably most valuable to those indie types really struggling to get their internal desires and emotions out there. I am envious of such people, as I was too cowardly to put myself into such a creative space. Maybe someday...

But either way, really nice story, fairly average game, and the twist at the end is kind of cute, worth picking up if you want something focused on emotions and the self.

Un jueguito indie muy cuco y pequeñito que habla de lo mucho que cuesta hacer jueguitos indies. Es una exploración de un personaje propenso a la depresión como va perdiendo la motivación a medida que va haciendo su juego.

Si has hecho o has querido hacer juegos en algún momento de tu vida es muy fácil identificarte en algún momento de los personajes de este juego. O eres la artista que entra de rebote y luego va descubriendo que le gusta, o eres le desarrolladore que empezó disfrutando mucho pero que al profesionalizarlo perdió todo interés, o quizás sea el grupo de amigos que se unieron porque creían trabajar juntos y de un día al otro rompieron cualquier relación.

Duele su realismo y su claridad a la hora de explicar el día a día sin ningún filtro y sin palabras bonitos. Aveces hacer juegos es un proceso de frustración y a veces es lo mejor que te ha pasado en la vida. Y una cosa puede venir justo después de la otra y viceversa.

Ha estado bien ver que alguien ha logrado vertebrar los hilos de toda la maraña de emociones que sientes o has sentido haciendo videojuegos.

Goodbye World is a visual novel about two girls who decide to pursue independent game development, set with a frame of a puzzle platformer and a retro pixel art aesthetic. It's a short story, twelve chapters, twelve levels that expertly glimpses into the complicated decisions that go into forging your own path and working with other people. The bond between the two girls is grounded and special, and adds to the emotional rollercoaster you experience over the 90 minute runtime. It's the length of a film, essentially, and basically should be treated as such. The developers clearly have a touch for cinematic ideas and if you aren't okay with that vibe, Goodbye World isn't for you. But for anyone who works in the arts, or is trying to, this game is a bittersweet slice of life examining that space.

One separate note, my only two criticisms. 1. There is a chapter in the second half which really sticks out as being unnecessary, especially since the game is so short. It felt like padding, and I wish we could have gotten another scene instead. 2. I wish the game forced you to beat the platforming levels in order to progress. Once I failed a level, it ruined the need to care about that half of the game. Narratively, win or lose, it works for the beats, but I wish the game had a little more weight in incorporating the game into the story.

"Some fools in the world hide how they truly feel."

I've played a few indie games in my lifetime that tackle the whole subject of game development, some good and some bad. Goodbye World is probably the best I've ever played in that category.

This is quite a unique, little 2-hour piece about two friends making a video game together and the life choices made based around the idea of "passion vs. business". As you progress through the game's 13 chapters, you'll be playing through levels of a platforming game made by one of the protagonists, which progressively gets more challenging and obscure in its design by nature of the character's mentality. (You don't have to complete the levels to progress either. If you reach a "game over", the story moves on. It's a nice touch.) The chapters themselves in this plot are presented sometimes in non-sequential order, giving you more perspective on character motives, foreshadowing, and overall themes that the narrative is trying to establish. It's all about the creative process and whether or not artists should waste their time and effort on a product that they want to make but others won't appreciate, and perhaps vice-versa, all coming full-circle in a pleasant way through its credits.

I think the best thing about this game is its presentation. As an indie game developer myself, as well as a fan of film, I always thought what would a "retro interactive movie" would look like... and here we are. The spritework is absolutely incredible (which is also touched on in a meta-narrative way), seemingly taking cues from games like Mother 3 with full animations, and is all filtered with a static/blurred filter to give that composite output effect. Audio is very good as well, from the gibberish dialogue for character voices, to some beautiful tunes in its soundtrack. Even the main menu is laid out to look like a DVD menu, with scene selection and everything. And if you're playing on Nintendo Switch, there is some very creative uses of the haptic feedback here for immersing the player in what's happening on screen. Sit back with your controller in hand, screen at full color, and enjoy the magic.

Goodbye World definitely isn't going to hit everybody. But if you're an individual with creative passions, whether it be game development, art, or anything else, you'll probably find some major appreciation in this one. I sure did.

On the surface, this is a short and sweet nod to the indie videogame industry, showing how hard on the mind can it really be to publish a title.

But as you go in, it has some deep thoughts about how insecurity clouds our minds and makes us question everything that we do.

I've been through turbulent times recently and some of the thought-process the protagonist had I've been having as well. It gave me the perspective that perhaps I am exaggerating and looking things through the wrong angle.

So, don't be so hard on yourself, you definitely got someone that needs you and your abilities. You are awesome.