tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967694277763110629.post5847041245379006817..comments2024-03-29T05:22:55.287-07:00Comments on Experience Points: Review: The Path Less TraveledJorge Alborhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04857765716032886965noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967694277763110629.post-17909452999121659762009-04-23T15:14:00.000-07:002009-04-23T15:14:00.000-07:00So I finally got around to playing this game. So ...So I finally got around to playing this game. So far, I've only taken one girl through the woods and off to grandma's house. I think this game is definitely an interesting experiment. I would only recommend it to a select group of people though, because as you said, it isn't really the traditional kind of "fun" you expect from a video game. <br /><br />I'm always very interested in how control schemes add to the emotionality of a game. I'm glad you brought up that you get the characters to do things by letting go of the controls. I think this is a wonderful metaphor for the central theme of the game, which is about these young girls going off "the path" that they are expected to take and finding things out for themselves in the dangerous real world. As if you were a parent, you have to give up your own sense of control over these girls in order for them to be able to make mistakes and develop on their own. Giving up that control can be scary for a parent, and it adds to the tension in this game where you don't know if its a mistake for your girl to go into the woods or not, but the only way for you to find out is to let her do it without you.<br /><br />Tale of Tales are doing a good job at chipping away at what we traditionally think of as videogames and providing some unique virtual art installations instead. I find their software interesting for the heavy themes of death and autonomy that they can deal with and the way they toy with gaming convention. Unfortunately, they are only fascinating and not something I really WANT to spend hours on like a traditional game, but I'm happy to see somebody really taking chances with the medium because I think they will come up with original concepts that make a unique contribution to the developing world of gaming.JThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16467964766151573064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967694277763110629.post-73580723276585268572009-04-15T18:27:00.000-07:002009-04-15T18:27:00.000-07:00@ Michael
Maybe that's the difficulty with tackli...@ Michael<br /><br />Maybe that's the difficulty with tackling complex subject matter, because though the themes were clear, the symbols and actions that took place were not easy to reconcile with a simple story about a girl on the way to her grandmother's. Which is actually why I commend the game's more personal touch.Jorge Alborhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04857765716032886965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967694277763110629.post-65656481499745769902009-04-14T00:26:00.000-07:002009-04-14T00:26:00.000-07:00Personally, I don't think The Path is obscure. I t...Personally, I don't think The Path is obscure. I think it's as clear as it can possibly be. But its subject matter is complex, making it impossible to give straight answers.<br /><br />Michael Samyn.Michael Samynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12457330579572685213noreply@blogger.com