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This is my rubric:
[ + - - - - ] 1 - Missing
[ + + - - - ] 2 - Somewhat Present
[ + + + - - ] 3 - Present
[ + + + + - ] 4 - Well Done
[ + + + + + ] 5 - Outstanding
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GAMECONTROLLER
[ + + - - - ] :: Enjoyment
I wanted so badly to enjoy this game more, but because of the inconsistency of the gameplay I felt more like the player; out of control of my actions. While that add an artistically ironic dimension to the gameplay, it does nothing for my enjoyment factor. That said, I did enjoy trying to figure out how to annoy the player, and exploring what sort of control I DID have over the game.
I get the impression that there might have been more to the game that I wasn't able to access. Perhaps if it were more stable I would have enjoyed it enough to find more of these elements. Here are the elements I DID find:
- I can shoot certain keys at his face if I push them enough times
- I can move the mouse to control his use of it
- If I wiggle it enough (maybe?) I can have a brawl with him where I'm the mouse hitting him in the back of the head
- Up to a point I can follow his key inputs to trigger certain events
- Apparently I can shock him with electricity by lifting my mouse close enough to the light.. It was at this point during my second playthrough that I stopped playing, because he was clipping outside of the scene beyond where I could see him.
Some of the inconsistency might have come from using the web version; but I didn't see a downloadable. I really wish there was a downloadable available..
[ + + + + - ] :: Creativity
This is where the game really shines. The roles really were reversed when it came to the player/developer experience. It was probably very difficult to implement this idea; and when it works, it's really rewarding to see. I enjoy the idea of being on the other side; manipulating the player as the computer rather than the other way around.
If there were more unique elements to this idea I would give it 5 stars. Perhaps if there were a wild narrative to explain why it is happening? For instance, it used to belong to Area51, or you got your computer from wish.com (lol) or both? This would open up a lot of avenues to unleash your creativity.
That said, great job reversing the roles!
[ + + + - - ] :: Presentation
I wanted to give it 4 stars, but I just felt I couldn't for two reasons:
1) no audio
2) the visuals/animations were too inconsistent.
For instance, my mouse slipped out of the player's hands almost immediately after I triggered the mouse fight. He still reacted as though he was holding the mouse though.
The reason I didn't drop the score on presentation further is because the events that happened were unique and interesting. I was surprised when I electrocuted the player. I actually wanted to try and move him somewhere else, but I couldn't. Then he clipped through the ceiling without me knowing how.
Really, I think that the presentation was good, but could be better if these inconsistencies were managed.
Final Review:
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GameController is a fascinating (and somewhat satisfying) exploration of reversing the roles between a computer and a player. It encourages you to explore what you can do to mess with the player. If it had more narrative depth and stable gameplay, I think this could compete with the likes of "The Stanley Parable."