Filed under: Fun, Games, Time-Wasters
Delightful and haunting Braid-clone Time-Waster
by Sebastian Anthony Nov 24th 2009 at 12:00PM
The Company of Myself is one of those games that you don't want to conclude. When it does end -- if you have what it takes to get there -- it leaves you feeling sad. Kinda empty. Like there's a gap in your soul that's exactly Company of Myself-shaped and there's nothing to fill it with.The game is very simply played, platform-style. You progress through each level to the green door, passing obstacles as you go. The first few levels have dialogue where you are seemingly talking to yourself, reminding yourself how to play -- it's weird, but it works. It works really well.
But there's a twist. A twist of genius!
You can go back in time, just like Braid. If there's a lever that needs switching, but happens to be in an unassailable pit -- jump in, flip it, then hit space to go back to the start. Your shadow then goes to pull the lever -- neat!
Never has so much been so hauntingly communicated via stick figures and simplistic two-dimensional art. The music certainly helps, along with the dialogue -- interesting, deep dialogue that actually draws you into the world. You don't even know why you need to escape, or if you are in fact escaping... but something's going on, that much is for sure.
A little more about the music: in The Company of Myself the music is awesome AND even awesomer: I think it's an original composition! It feels like a mix of Final Fantasy 7 and some kind of post-apocalyptic horror. Bells, piano and harpsichord -- even a little electric guitar. It's relaxing yet... driving. Pushing you forward. Towards... the end.
You should give The Company of Myself a go. It's free of course -- and I bet you've never played anything like it before. Unless you've played Braid of course, but to be compared to Braid is high praise indeed.
[via Casual Gameplay -- and grab the Braid demo too]
Never has so much been so hauntingly communicated via stick figures and simplistic two-dimensional art. The music certainly helps, along with the dialogue -- interesting, deep dialogue that actually draws you into the world. You don't even know why you need to escape, or if you are in fact escaping... but something's going on, that much is for sure.
A little more about the music: in The Company of Myself the music is awesome AND even awesomer: I think it's an original composition! It feels like a mix of Final Fantasy 7 and some kind of post-apocalyptic horror. Bells, piano and harpsichord -- even a little electric guitar. It's relaxing yet... driving. Pushing you forward. Towards... the end.
You should give The Company of Myself a go. It's free of course -- and I bet you've never played anything like it before. Unless you've played Braid of course, but to be compared to Braid is high praise indeed.
[via Casual Gameplay -- and grab the Braid demo too]
I don't know if this is a labor of love or merely the brainchild of four very gifted games designers, but Level Up is a really weird mash-up of gaming elements that you have probably never seen in a Flash game before.
Let's start with the premise itself: Groundhog Day meets Memento. The game experience revolves around 'days': you explore the world and the clock slowly ticks towards the evening. You bounce around picking up gems and talking to the denizens of 'Level Upland'. Eventually you feel tired and head back to ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Marius said 10:38PM on 11-24-2009
It is beautiful. I agree with everything that you said. It's very emotional, especially for a rather "basic" platformer. I wish I knew more games like it.
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Sebastian Anthony said 8:25AM on 11-25-2009
Just glad I could share it :)
Sebastian Anthony said 8:26AM on 11-25-2009
Oh, and make sure you share any other games you find...!
Eli Piilonen said 4:08AM on 12-05-2009
Hey, just thought I'd show up and throw some info around.
Before I get to that, though: Thanks for the review, and I'm glad you enjoyed the game!
Anyway–The music is indeed original, and it's written and mixed by the intensely fantastic David Carney. He's got both tracks from Company available for free download on his site, at this page: http://dvgmusic.com/downloads.html
Being compared to Braid is indeed very high praise–It's also somewhat fitting, since the impetus to make this game was basically me watching a friend try out Braid. I was sitting there thinking, "I had so much fun playing this game, and it made me feel so damn smart when I figured stuff out. I need to make a god damned puzzle game, right this instant." Braid's influence is pretty obvious, in the end. Probably too much so, as far as I'm concerned.
For now, I've got some more writing to do for the next project. Keep your eyes peeled. What's the next project, you ask? I'm not going to say quite yet.
Here's a hint, though: It's not going to be a modernized remake of Pacman.
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Sebastian Anthony said 8:00AM on 12-05-2009
Hail, mighty creator!
I'm glad I got the inspiration right... it would've been embarrassing otherwise :)
Be sure to drop me a line when you release the next game.