suffers from always being incredibly unfocused, sometimes being incredibly cynical, sometimes being incredibly pretentious, sometimes being incredibly boring but i don't regret my time with this at all.
power plant, the shaking man and the metroidvania were the highlights (and the fucking music. Insane).
power plant, the shaking man and the metroidvania were the highlights (and the fucking music. Insane).
mostly about the ambiance but still really neat-o
More games should borrow from Dujanah's style of narrative and art direction.
I wouldn't say that this is a bad game, but I wouldn't say it was very enjoyable either. I have very mixed feelings regarding this game. I did like some aspects of it, and really wanted to like the game, but ultimately couldn't really.
For what I did love, I love the music the most. Jack Spooner's music is honestly incredible, and I still listen to this game's soundtrack today (especially the trailer song in particular). Another aspect I loved was the unique and visually compelling art style, which is a mix of miniatures, clay, and stop motion, capturing the bleakness of the world but also surprisingly utilises hypnotic and psychedelic visuals.
What I didn't like about the game was largely the narrative. Personally, I found the game's dialogue quite pretentious, purposefully seeming abstract and confusing. I don't necessarily dislike abstract dialogue, but I felt like it was done with little intention nor in a very compelling way. I feel like most of the game's dialogue just didn't click with me, and I never really felt super interested.
The gameplay also isn't the greatest, but this isn't that bad of an issue. There is variety in the mini-games/different areas you explore, but the game feels kind of janky/rigid, and is also very very buggy. I encountered quite alot of issues in the game where things would not work properly, like dialogue not showing up, or even getting softlocked in place.
I really think this game had alot of potential, and enjoyed it's experimental take on what a game can be, but should've used more time to polish up everything. To me, the game felt like a mess, and couldn't really enjoy most of the game unfortunately.
For what I did love, I love the music the most. Jack Spooner's music is honestly incredible, and I still listen to this game's soundtrack today (especially the trailer song in particular). Another aspect I loved was the unique and visually compelling art style, which is a mix of miniatures, clay, and stop motion, capturing the bleakness of the world but also surprisingly utilises hypnotic and psychedelic visuals.
What I didn't like about the game was largely the narrative. Personally, I found the game's dialogue quite pretentious, purposefully seeming abstract and confusing. I don't necessarily dislike abstract dialogue, but I felt like it was done with little intention nor in a very compelling way. I feel like most of the game's dialogue just didn't click with me, and I never really felt super interested.
The gameplay also isn't the greatest, but this isn't that bad of an issue. There is variety in the mini-games/different areas you explore, but the game feels kind of janky/rigid, and is also very very buggy. I encountered quite alot of issues in the game where things would not work properly, like dialogue not showing up, or even getting softlocked in place.
I really think this game had alot of potential, and enjoyed it's experimental take on what a game can be, but should've used more time to polish up everything. To me, the game felt like a mess, and couldn't really enjoy most of the game unfortunately.
This game, to some people, isn't a game. It's an interactive experience. It has cool concepts, it's kind of vague with most of the metaphors and symbolisms but the main story is great. It's amazing because of how absurd it is. It made me feel uncomfortable many times in just less than 3 hours of "gameplay". I highly recommend it if you are bored and want something interesting to spend your afternoon with.
Uma viúva do passado, uma cicatriz do presente, uma escrava do futuro, mas antes de tudo, a catarse da eternidade.
Dujanah é uma visita ao cemitério; tanto que, o jogo começa e termina interagindo com um túmulo. É uma obra que está o tempo todo tentando desagradar, fazendo piadas com situações terríveis e colocando a diegese do jogo em xeque -- perceba que, 80% do texto se direciona ao jogador, por mais que ainda crie sentido com a jornada da protagonista.
Dujanah é um espantalho de si mesmo e experimenta diversos elementos de sua linguagem para contar uma história sobre morte; a morte de seu marido e filha, a morte daqueles que sofreram pela ocupação ocidental na região, e a morte de uma objetividade perversa que permeia as discussões sobre arte na cultura dos videogames.
Tudo está morto no jogo. Os NPCs são meras figuras de argila que representam seu passado vivido e contam suas histórias para Dujanah independente da noção metalinguística e da noção de que o player irá entender (ou não). Diversas telas e interações com o texto do jogo passaram em branco para mim -- simplesmente não precisamos entender tudo.
Várias e várias vezes eu me peguei pensando "O quão nonsense isso se apresenta? O quão absurdo, talvez pretensioso? E seu significado, qual seria?" e é muito ruim ter a sensação de que o jogo fala muito para dizer pouco; porém, essas sensações eram tão passageiras quanto as histórias daqueles que já foram. E de alguma forma, elas foram úteis para a manutenção da minha experiência, de que nada preciso entender, tudo preciso sentir. Um bom exemplo disso foi o minigame de metroidvania do jogo, no qual eu senti diversas coisas como catarse, angústia, nojo, ansiedade; e no fim, não consegui canalizar pensamentos o suficiente para tirar alguma coisa daquilo. Até que eu interagi com um NPC, uma aranha, o símbolo da luxúria no jogo, e ela me disse "e eu não sei 100% se essas escolhas interpretativas vão deixar o jogador mais informado de alguma forma", e bem, eu concordo completamente -- os temas islâmicos do jogo passaram em branco para mim, e mesmo assim, não senti que tive uma experiência incompleta.
Dujanah aproveita do "inútil" ao "desagradável" para juntar suas peças e formar essa grande colagem em forma de jogo -- os sons, os visuais, o texto, as interações -- tudo extremamente poluído e algumas vezes parecendo até um shitpost vazio ou creepypasta forçada, mas que de alguma forma, manteve meu interesse.
"É verdade que a audiência, fundamentalmente, busca se entreter, é sua natureza; portanto, ela irá encontrar entretenimento, mesmo que em lugares impróprios"
Dujanah é um espantalho de si mesmo e experimenta diversos elementos de sua linguagem para contar uma história sobre morte; a morte de seu marido e filha, a morte daqueles que sofreram pela ocupação ocidental na região, e a morte de uma objetividade perversa que permeia as discussões sobre arte na cultura dos videogames.
Tudo está morto no jogo. Os NPCs são meras figuras de argila que representam seu passado vivido e contam suas histórias para Dujanah independente da noção metalinguística e da noção de que o player irá entender (ou não). Diversas telas e interações com o texto do jogo passaram em branco para mim -- simplesmente não precisamos entender tudo.
Várias e várias vezes eu me peguei pensando "O quão nonsense isso se apresenta? O quão absurdo, talvez pretensioso? E seu significado, qual seria?" e é muito ruim ter a sensação de que o jogo fala muito para dizer pouco; porém, essas sensações eram tão passageiras quanto as histórias daqueles que já foram. E de alguma forma, elas foram úteis para a manutenção da minha experiência, de que nada preciso entender, tudo preciso sentir. Um bom exemplo disso foi o minigame de metroidvania do jogo, no qual eu senti diversas coisas como catarse, angústia, nojo, ansiedade; e no fim, não consegui canalizar pensamentos o suficiente para tirar alguma coisa daquilo. Até que eu interagi com um NPC, uma aranha, o símbolo da luxúria no jogo, e ela me disse "e eu não sei 100% se essas escolhas interpretativas vão deixar o jogador mais informado de alguma forma", e bem, eu concordo completamente -- os temas islâmicos do jogo passaram em branco para mim, e mesmo assim, não senti que tive uma experiência incompleta.
Dujanah aproveita do "inútil" ao "desagradável" para juntar suas peças e formar essa grande colagem em forma de jogo -- os sons, os visuais, o texto, as interações -- tudo extremamente poluído e algumas vezes parecendo até um shitpost vazio ou creepypasta forçada, mas que de alguma forma, manteve meu interesse.
"É verdade que a audiência, fundamentalmente, busca se entreter, é sua natureza; portanto, ela irá encontrar entretenimento, mesmo que em lugares impróprios"
It's all about expectations, and my expectations of a serious piece on the politics and culture of such an under-represented group of people was incorrect. Don't misunderstand, Dujanah is more than poignant in exploring that exact topic - and layering existentialism beyond it - with genuinely memorable stretches of philosophical dialogue and symbolically dense abstract sequences. However, from the in-universe mandatory flash games, to the funny but meaningless songs and movies, Dujanah is filled with tone betraying content. In fact, it is so prevalent that it becomes clear that the expectation of any specific kind of experience was - not unfounded, as the itch.io descriptions clearly bait it - but incorrect. The clashing content simply IS Dujanah, and asking for it to be what I expected is simply wanting it to be something it's not.
First time I saw this game, I thought "this game has a similar vibe to Beeswing". It turned out they are by the same creator. Very unique visual and audio design and surprisingly straightforward story. One can argue the sudden swing of mood and theme is part of the charm and serves to break up the long philosophizing dialogue , but oh boy are some of the minigames complete dogshit. The tank control movement on the "world map" frustrated me in a way disproportionate to the size of the game. Also, this game seems to be as unstable as Beeswing, and glitches can affect save file, so I was forced to start from the beginning again. Overall Dujanah probably won't be a pleasant experience for most people, but it's not a bad thing to challenge oneself once in a while. Under the current geopolitical circumstances, especially the raging conflict in Gaza, this game has never been more relevant.
really loved the style, music, but kinda slow in walking, other than amazing, loved the bike, and that unconsious guy is absoulutely right, also i didn't beat the almirah (idk) cave arcade :(
I fell asleep at 18:00 Woke up at 11:00 or something. Played through this game in 4 hours, fell asleep again. While the gameplay and pacing is often mega-ass the mood and music really left a mark on me
This is the kind of game that makes you question your sanity as you try to poke at its corners. At least, at first, as that capital-W Weirdness soon gives way to a compassionate anti-war message borne amidst quirky prototypes for other games, seeded into the Dujanah's desolate world. Quite bit of... interesting FMV, too. It's overall a short experience, but one that feels consequential nonetheless.
this game is very unique, it makes you immersed confused, and very thoughtful
I think the game was telling me to stop wasting my life playing video games.
i am the greatest Pie Or Anus player on the planet earth
Definitely isn't for everyone I feel like this game will invoke something different for everyone that plays it, but giving the game at least one playthrough you'll find an immensely creative game with wild and provocative graphics, with a soundtrack that not only has vibes, but bangers as well and a narrative that lets you soak in what it says and lets you come to a conclusion of what it all means
part of me wants to say this is a genuinely moving piece of art that i think influenced me as a person more than most games can ever dream of but also i think the game would want the review to just say something like "beanut putter"