3 reviews liked by Eodqnlqwhuydo


Scorn

2022

the general response to scorn i think has been a damning continuation of the games space lacking critical language. puzzles bad, shooting bad, bad game. the baggage of our 2022 reality of having very fun games all the time (and devs getting very good at making them) is we've lost the articulations for games striving to do something else. very reminiscent of the total lack (of everything; in particular: critical interest) in regards to pathologic 2's reception. a struggle against futility time and time again like a pain receptor in a gamer's head. they don't want to be reminded of their involved apathy! next game, already. get me out of this lobby, back into queue, please!

scorn is an utterly immaculate production, almost seven years in the making and it comes through down to the feelings. the dedication is ever present, in every delicate animation to the rich industrial environments taken over by an invasive presence. the total lack of language here is practically taken for granted when the UI more than suffices, it's effortless to the point that it shows a sense of the game constantly iterating around all of its pieces. i think the future will be spoiled to have such a holistic horror experience, if the present is not capable of it.


i was reading too much into it, (or more precisely, i was interpreting it incorrectly) as apparently the author's word (which I consider important; the author is undead) is that the game is about beauty and light in (seemingly) ugly places and times, which i can see. so the reverse of what i thought it was attempting to communicate.

also there's a Nick Land NPC.