Man's Multiple Lives Told Through 8-Bit Videogame

[Tom Goldman]

Man's Multiple Lives Told Through 8-Bit Videogame


An animated short by Lasse Gjertsen gives one 8-bit man the opportunity to live twice.

If real life were a videogame, it'd likely be a pretty boring one. But what if you had multiple lives and could choose different paths each time? Animator Lasse Gjertsen [http://www.youtube.com/user/lassegg] answers this question with an animated short that gives a perspective on the very different paths a person's life can take, which is presented in the form of an 8-bit videogame.

Thanks to YouTube extending the possible video time limit to 15 minutes, Gjertsen was able to release the video, called Consoul, on the service. Consoul begins with a man's birth and follows him from childhood to death. It then does it all over again, but with the man making different decisions.

I know 12 minutes is a lot to ask on the internet these days, but the videogame tie-ins make Consoul interesting. The man's money goes up as he works, and goes down as he feeds his family. When he gets into a fight, life bars appear, and his hearts fill as good things happen.

It's a little NSFW at one part, but Consoul is one of the neatest 8-bit works I've ever seen, and it makes you feel a little something too. Consoul shows you how a hat turned from forwards to backwards can really make a difference.

Via: Kotaku [http://kotaku.com/5612475/a-life-in-8+bit]


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[NeoAC]

It's nice to see that the guy behind a couple of my favorite youtube videos ever ("Amateur" and "Hyperactive" for anyone looking) is still active.

EDIT:

Spoiler: Here is some linkage for the two vids I mentioned

 

[Chainsauce]

Lasse Gjertsen is awesome.

 

[YonderTunic]

Took me a while to figure out he was robbing the place. Thought it was strange he shows up the guy literally throws money at him.

 

[dragontiers]

The video itself was pretty cool, and well done, I thought. However, I felt disappointed at the end. It didn't feel satisfying that the only negative repercussion shown when he played the "bad guy" the second time around was an early death, while the first time around when he was a normal guy, his wife left him and he died old and alone. I didn't necessarily want a goodie-two-shoes ending, but maybe if he second time around he had just been more "genre savvy" as opposed to taking the dark-side route it would have felt better, imho.

 

[smithy1234]

Wow that was a really well done short film. Kudos to the film maker, hope he goes on to bigger things.

Also this is from the video description and I totally agree:

Youtube finally got their heads partially out of their corporate assholes and extended the time limit to 15 minutes. Congratulations! It took you over three years, and the main reason you did was to compete with Hulu. (Yes, I did apply for a directors account AGES ago, but they never replied. I also tried to send them emails directly, but they never replied. There is a big difference in what Youtube used to be, and what it has become, which is Theytube..)

 

[Wrann]

I really did like the video and the musical score to it was Amazing.

 

[Gindil]

Wow...

I literally can't say much else because it was pretty cool to see the differences in the lives. The music is ear worm and just watching the guy do so much was particularly intriguing.

 

[vallorn]

wow. that was an interesting piece of philosphy.

also... i feel kind of sad now.

 

[Fellwarden]

Lasse Gjertsen is definitely skilled. If memory serves, he got a pretty good job because of his youtube videos. Cool video, and glad to see that he still puts stuff on youtube.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

A very interesting video, and has made me wonder what I would do with infinite continues?

 

[TheNamlessGuy]

DELETED

 

[Tharwen]

I hate this sort of video because it makes me feel sad. It's also kind of clichéd, but it still makes me feel sad...

 

[The Austin]

There is no way in hell that that is 8 bit, that's gotta be at least 16.

But other than that, I generally love these kinds of things.

 

[Fruitloops89]

It's nice to see that the guy behind a couple of my favorite youtube videos ever ("Amateur" and "Hyperactive" for anyone looking) is still active.

EDIT:

Spoiler: Here is some linkage for the two vids I mentioned

I saw that piano video, Amateur, back in the day and thought it was some anonymous video... glad I now have a name to this awesome vid.

 

[Nibiru]

I hate this sort of video because it makes me feel sad. It's also kind of clichéd, but it still makes me feel sad...

I agree with Tharwen!

Even though the style is great, I really feel a bit sad after watching this, even if a lot of people love to tell me that "Thats how life really works!".

But everybody has his own opinions...

 

[SimuLord]

Did I miss something? Aside from the "ooh, 8-bit, wow", it's just another existentialist Sartre-wannabe reflecting on the inevitability of life no matter one's choices.

I want my 12 minutes back.

 

[ThaBenMan]

That was really cool, actually. Funny, cool, thought-provoking, and a little sad. Beautiful.

And I really wasn't expecting the style shift at about 7 minutes.

 

[Airsoftslayer93]

Quite beautiful really