Also available on Xbox One, Switch, and Windows I Saw Black Clouds is an exemplar of interactive movies. This is what three decades of full motion video games has been progressing towards. It's the perfect marriage of storytelling, cinema, and consumer interactivity. Made by the folks at Wales Interactive, the pioneers at the forefront of the current FMV renaissance, I Saw Black Clouds is everything I've wanted in an FMV game since I first played one back in high school. The premise of I Saw Black Clouds is that your character, Kristina, is coming to grips with the suicide of her friend and roommate, Emily. Joining her in grief is their mutual friend, Charlotte. Kristina is, understandably, looking for answers and closure. Why would Emily take her own life? As she speaks with others who knew her, she starts to realize that there's something bigger than just Emily's singular death going on in the English village. I won't say more to avoid spoiling anything, but suffice it to say that it's a fantastic thriller on its own merit before factoring in the interactivity and player choice. I Saw Black Clouds has four distinct endings, and which ending you get depends on choices you make. It's hard to really say much about the game without spoiling it, but basically, the four endings are divided into two "main" distinct story paths, and each of those are divided into two sub-paths. There are, obviously, a LOT of overlap with story events in these branching paths, but fortunately, you unlock the ability to skip scenes that you've already seen after finishing the game once, so it's a lot quicker and easier to go back and see the scenes and endings that you missed than having to go back through a two to three hour movie again. One criticism that people will point to is the game's length. Yes, it's only about two hours or so for a playthrough. It is, after all, an interactive movie. Most of the time you spend with the game will be spent watching scenes and making a choice every few minutes. I don't say that as a criticism, though. One of the reasons I don't usually spend much time watching movies or TV is because it's such a passive pastime. Interactive movies like this fix that for me because even if it's only making choices, I have some degree of effect on the world. My choices matter and change how the movie's story plays out. Some will say "Why would I pay $13 for an interactive movie?" Well, that's only a few dollars more than most people pay to see a movie one time in a theater. That's half to a third of what most people spend to buy a movie on Bluray, and that movie is going to be the same every time you watch it. This is a movie that has four different endings depending on your choice. That's a pretty good bang for your buck when you put it in those terms. I Saw Black Clouds really is an exemplar of interactive movies. Like with The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker, the acting isn't top tier Hollywood quality, but the actors are, for the most part, pretty dang good. The story is the high point, though. The story is REALLY good, and the different directions it can take based on your choices are super interesting. There's definitely solid reason to give it a few different plays/watches to see the different endings. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea - as far as video games go, interactive movies are by nature far more passive than most games - but if this is the kind of thing you're into, you absolutely have to download this game (or pay an arm and a leg for a Limited Run physical copy on the secondhand market). It truly is the greatest FMV game I've ever played. My Rating - S |
I'm a teacher.And I like to play video games. I like to collect video games. I like to talk about video games, and I like to write about video games. During the day, I teach high school history; during the night, I spend my spare time gaming. Then I write about it. Archives
April 2024
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