The Fall(en) - A Review

[ben---neb]

The Fall(en) is a short game produced by Cleril Calamitiy Studios, a one man band operation of some Escapist User somewhere out there.

Basic Premise An interactive drama concerning a guy on a cliff. It's a bit more complicated though when you play it. Playtimes can be as short as, oh about 30 secs, although you may want to spend slightly more time on it.

Review

Initally I wanted to dismiss the game as pretentious rubbish. There was a guy, a cliff and he started having a conversation with someone (God? Himself? His conscience?) I picked conversational responses and I decided whether he jumped or not.

The conversational options cover an interesting range of depressed sucidial responses - moaning about an inability to get on with people, no reason to life, no God, it was his fault, no other's fault, just quit moaning and jump!

And that's when it hit me: I would be a bad person to talk if you were standing on the edge of the cliff. I wanted to slap the character more than save him. I killed the charcter every single time except once. I couldn't bring myself to feel for him at all.

It was an interesting test of my character to play this game.

The Good Points
The clouds

Wind sounds

It was very replayable - two endings (jump or not) but different ways of getting there.

Thought provoking - did I support his decision to die? Do I try and argue him out of it? Should I save him? Was he commiting suicide or was I killing him?

Bad Points
Some responses seem a tad stereotypical

The suicide option had a really stupid sound effect that went against the tone of the rest of the game.

Conclusion
It's worth checking out - I can't say I 'liked' it but it occupied my thoughts for a good fifteen minutes. At the very least you'll find out if you shouldn't be allowed to speak to suicidals!

It can be downloaded here http://www.mediafire.com/?3zn1zmtdzw0

 

[Stranger of Sorts]

ben---neb, you're a nice guy but I'm afraid your review here is horrible. I often chastise people for having check-list style reviews but this actually is a check-list. There is no expansion of thought or even any depth to the review other than good or bad. It's obviously rushed and the lack of thought gone into it is obvious. If you do decide to post another review take a tour around the User Reviews section and you should pick up quite a bit.

I have one thing to ask though, was this done on request?

Oh and in case you're wondering, I did a review on this game way back. So it's easy for me to say that you've missed out some crucial points.

 

[Sebenko]

Yeah, read the "Welcome to the Review Section!" topic before writing a review. And the "Before You Submit a Community Review" topic wouldn't hurt either.

Still, a bad review gets more replies than an average one. And yes, I am bitter about my review of FUEL getting no replies.

 

[ben---neb]

ben---ned, you're a nice guy but I'm afraid your review here is horrible. I often chastise people for having check-list style reviews but this actually is a check-list. There is no expansion of thought or even any depth to the review other than good or bad. It's obviously rushed and the lack of thought gone into it is obvious. If you do decide to post another review take a tour around the User Reviews section and you should pick up quite a bit.

I have one thing to ask though, was this done on request?

Oh and in case you're wondering, I did a review on this game way back. So it's easy for me to say that you've missed out some crucial points.

I got asked to do it. I know I can't write reviews. I can never formulate my opinion on books and games into written words. Which is seriously strange because everything else I can always do better in writing (i.e. expressing emotion, ideas, humour) Ah well, thanks for the comment anyway.

 

[ben---neb]

SNIP

Ah yes, but as you expressed a preference towards recieveing a review of your game then an obligation was placed upon me, or I felt such an obligation was placed upon me, to carry out your wishes. Now, bearing in mind I am aware of my inability to write reviews then it was silly of me to even have tried. Thus you see the heafty obligation you placed me under that I would write, knowing that what I write would be drivel. Therefore the conclusion of the matter is this: eat five fruit and veg a day.

And on a side note, the next game I'll play is Peekabox, I won't write a review of it, I'll message you or I might just to spite myself and I have exams until May 19th so don't expect it anytime soon.

I remain, your humble servant

Ben

 

[Stranger of Sorts]

Not quite my good sir. I simply stated that players can give feedback either in a message or in a review and that I preferred reviews. I did not ever say to you "please write a review of The Fall(en)" as you chose to do so.

I'm not trying to be insulting, just correcting the situation because I did not ask you to, I wouldn't ask those who don't do many reviews to review a game. I asked Stranger of Sorts but that's because I saw his work and he had a steady flow of well written reviews. Don't take that as an insult to you because my point is that I only said reviewing was an option you could pick in order to supply feedback, not that you had to.

Steady flow? Never-ending torrent more like. I think I might get two done today alone, although admittedly one was more of a warm up because I wanted to get this one right, the warm up is already done and up, this one will take a lot longer. [yay]