Tuesday, January 06, 2015

2014 Game of the Year

A game in the genre of magical realism simply shouldn't exist.

Yet 2014's game of the year is full of magical realism, with time and reality delicately layered. It is so carefully constructed, so brilliantly executed, that it is nothing short of mesmerizing. Two of the finest moments in gaming I've ever had happened while playing this game. It is so full of memorable moments that it defies description.

It's not even finished, either. What does exist presently, though, is so utterly superior as a game that there is absolutely no question that it is 2014's Game of the Year.

Kentucky Route Zero.

If you have not experienced this game, then you are much the poorer. Please remedy that as soon as possible, and here are a few helpful suggestions so that you can get the very most out of the game.
1. Play in the dark.
2. Play in a quiet environment--ideally, with headphones.
3. Play as slowly as possible. This is not a game to rush through. It is a game to savor, and the more you see, the more you explore, the more you will feel.

This is unquestionably art, and yet being art in no way detracts from the game, and vice versa. It is a beautiful, compelling form of art that could only be experienced as a game.

I'll tell you what Kentucky Route Zero does to me: it makes me still inside. I am so focused, so present, while I play that I fall entirely into its world.

Nothing else even comes close.

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